The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court strongly reprimanded the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Monday for failing to address widespread complaints regarding cement road construction across the city. Expressing deep displeasure with the civic body’s inaction, the court directed the NMC to submit a comprehensive affidavit detailing its corrective measures by June 11.
Key Issues Raised in the Janmanch PIL
The high court’s directives came during a hearing for a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the social organization Janmanch. The petition highlights critical irregularities and structural flaws in Nagpur’s ongoing road projects:
- Elevated Roads and Flooding: Petitioner counsel Advocate Parvez Mirza pointed out that cement roads in multiple areas have been built at a significantly elevated level. This poor engineering causes rainwater to drain directly into adjoining residential houses.
- Improper Foundation and Uneven Levels: The plea alleges that contractors excavated old asphalt roads and laid concrete directly over them instead of leveling the ground first. This has triggered severe drainage blockages and uneven road levels.
- Substandard Materials and Pollution: The petition claims that the excessive use of fly ash in construction is causing heavy dust pollution due to exposed aggregates. Furthermore, the road projects lack proper lane markings, and the subpar paver blocks being used are already deteriorating.
Court-Ordered Deadline for Compliance
Although the High Court had previously ordered the NMC on June 8 to resolve these citizens’ grievances immediately, the petitioners informed the bench that no concrete corrective measures had been implemented.
To ensure accountability, the court has now strictly ordered the civic body to place its specific redressal measures on record and clarify the status of its corrective actions before the upcoming June 11 hearing.
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