Himachal HC seeks report on World Bank-funded road project

The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday directed a committee constituted by it to file a status report within a fortnight over the delay in the construction of a World Bank-funded road project in a prominent apple belt in Shimla.

The court directed that the first milestone of the 80-km Theog-Kotkhai-Hatkoti-Rohru stretch should be achieves within the time-frame and cautioned that any dereliction or violation by any official or the contractor, including breach of the contract, shall amount to contempt of court.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders on a public interest litigation on delay in construction of the road.

The bench had earlier constituted a committee, comprising the chief secretary, the principal secretary (public works) and the engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department to monitor the progress of work.

The government on Monday prayed for four weeks' time to show the results, saying the work was hampered due to inclement weather.

Amicus curiae Jyotsna Rewal Dua informed the court that the milestones have not been achieved, rather these were changed due to bad weather.

Countering the affidavit of the government, advocate Devider Chauhan said the total length of the project was 80.6 km, which has been divided into two sections.

The first milestone of 0-20 km of the first part of the project, and 48-58 km of the second part of the project are to be completed by June 2015.

The court listed the matter for next hearing on April 27.

Official sources told IANS that the road project was earlier awarded to a Chinese firm. But it missed its deadline, following which an Indian contractor was hired.

The main opposition BJP has been blaming the ruling Congress for abnormal delay in the completion of the stretch, the lifeline for Shimla's prominent apple belt which carries an annual business worth Rs.1,000 crore.