The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the State to file a counter affidavit in a public interest litigation petition that sought a direction to the government to re-lay a road that connects Tiruchendur with Sattankulam in Thoothukudi district.
The petitioner, A. Allwin Asir Jebaraj complained that the road was full of potholes, was not maintained maintenance and looked like a place somewhere on the moon or on Mars. The authorities concerned had turned a blind eye to complaints, he said.
According to information given under the Right to Information Act, it was said that there was a proposal to convert the road between Tiruchendur and Sattankulam into a national highway; therefore no maintenance was carried out.
Taking cognisance of the report, a Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam observed that a road is supposed to be laid as per the specifications of the Indian Road Congress and it should be an all weather road. It appears that the authorities concerned exhibited lack of sensitivity to the condition of the road, the court observed and suo motu impleaded the Secretary to the Highways and Minor Ports Department as respondents to the petition.
The court made it clear that till effective and proper repairing/re-laying work was carried out, if any accident takes place and causes grievous injuries or death, the State Highways Department is mulcted with liability and responsibility, including criminal prosecution.
After the State submitted that a tender has been floated for re-laying the road, the court sought a counter affidavit in the case with supporting documents and photographs. The case was adjourned to September 22 for further hearing.
