E-Paper
HC angry with encroachments on highways
THE ALLAHABAD High Court has taken a serious view of encroachments on the national highways and around the national monuments. The court said anti-social elements, musclemen, influential people and land mafiosi were involved in encroaching such roads and heritage zones. ?Such persons operate in an organised manner with the help of local police. The poor innocent law-abiding citizens and common man of the town or villages cannot think to encroach the public streets, roads and national highways.
THE ALLAHABAD High Court has taken a serious view of encroachments on the national highways and around the national monuments.
The court said anti-social elements, musclemen, influential people and land mafiosi were involved in encroaching such roads and heritage zones.
“Such persons operate in an organised manner with the help of local police. The poor innocent law-abiding citizens and common man of the town or villages cannot think to encroach the public streets, roads and national highways. Such encroachments are seen in the towns of UP and Bihar. Even in the densely populated states, like Kerala, the highways, public roads are clear and driver friendly. Even in neighbouring countries, such encroachments are not to be seen on roads, streets and national highways. Most of the roads, streets and national highways in this State are infested with the encroachments,” the court said.
Narrating one highway — from Allahabad to Lucknow —, Justice Rakesh Sharma further said, “The 200-km road connecting Lucknow and Allahabad has been encroached at more than 30 places causing harassment to the vehicle drivers.
The weekly village markets (hats) are being organised by the contractors on the national highways. A driver now needs three/four minutes extra time to negotiate these crowded towns and villages. Despite having fast running vehicles, it now takes more than four hours to travel a distance of 200 km when about 20 years ago, one could cover this distance within three and half hours. Thus, 30 minutes more are spent at the time of travelling from Lucknow to Allahabad.”
Lamenting the encroachments around the heritage buildings, the court observed: “It is sad to find that the areas around the heritage buildings in the vicinity of the court, like buildings of board of revenue, police headquarters, directorate of education, office of AGUP, government press have been encroached by the hawkers, fruits and vegetable selling hotels. Pucca permanent stalls, Gumtis, have been put on the footpaths, pavements, even on the edge of the public road. It has become difficult to pass through the main road opposite these buildings. At some points, almost whole of the road has been encroached. The whole area looks like an ugly, filthy and slum visual squalor. Most of the grand buildings cannot be viewed property due to illegal encroachments on the footpath, and pavements.”
Highlighting the reasons for increasing encroachments, the court said, “No one raise voice against such activities may be because of apathy or fear of muscleman, goons who patronise such activities while police are ineffective.” The court directed to list this case for hearing on February 12, 2007.
