Imphal, August 11: The Manipur High Court on Monday has taken suo motu cognisance of the state’s worsening road infrastructure and registered a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to oversee remedial measures, Hindustan Times reported.
A bench comprising Chief Justice K. Somasekhar and Justice A. Guneshwar Sharma issued notices to the state government’s concerned departments through the Advocate General, directing responses by September 8. The court also ordered the submission of a detailed list of authorities responsible for road repairs in both hill and valley districts to facilitate their inclusion in the case.
The action follows a comprehensive report from the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA), which, based on field assessments by all District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs), documented hazardous road conditions. The findings highlighted risks on routes leading to hospitals, courts, schools, and markets, supported by photographic and GPS-tagged evidence, accident records, and local testimonies.
With monsoon rains further damaging roads and heightening accident risks, the petition calls for urgent, time-bound repairs of critical stretches, formation of a monitoring committee or appointment of an amicus curiae, and a detailed state report on road inventories, tenders, budgets, and timelines.
Citing Article 21 and a recent Supreme Court ruling recognising safe roads as a fundamental right under Articles 19(1)(g) and 21, the PIL names the Chief Secretary, senior PWD officials, the Principal Secretary of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, and the Chief Engineer of the Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency as respondents.
