Traffic mess: HC slams state government

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday reprimanded the state government for failing to comply with the earlier orders of solving problems related to traffic congestion

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday reprimanded the state government for failing to comply with the earlier orders of solving problems related to traffic congestion in the city.

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The division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayed was irked to note that a committee appointed by the court to make look into the city’s traffic woes, had not met after the order was pronounced on July 2, 2015. It was supposed to make recommendations for better management of vehicular and pedestrian traffic and enforcement of traffic rules in Mumbai. What irked the judges more was that instead of meeting at regular intervals and recommending possible solutions, the committee headed by additional chief secretary home, KP Bakshi, had created two sub-committees to delegate its powers.

“You had no business to set up the sub-committees,” the judges told assistant government pleader GS Saluja. “This is overreaching and modifying orders of this court,” they added.

The judges were further annoyed after they were told that the committee had planned to meet only twice a year. “This essentially means nothing will happen for the entire year,” said the judges. The court then directed Bakshi to file his personal affidavit explaining why the committee did not meet at all since inception and why the subcommittees were constituted.

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bombay Bar Association seeking stricter implementation of traffic rules and regulations.

During the course of hearing, Saluja told the court that the state government has decided to install 6,500 close circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the city. While the contract for it has been awarded, 1,500 cameras have already been installed in Mumbai, said the assistant government pleader.