Recently, in a significant intervention concerning public infrastructure and constitutional rights, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of alarming conditions at bus stops across Nagpur city, where commuters were allegedly being forced to wait on roadsides without shelter, seating, or even designated bus stand facilities during extreme weather conditions. The Court scrutinised whether the continued failure of civic authorities to provide basic passenger amenities amounted to a deeper breakdown of constitutional governance and a direct assault on the right to live with dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The controversy began after a Marathi newspaper report highlighted the severe lack of bus stop infrastructure, rampant encroachments, and the absence of basic facilities for passengers in Nagpur. The Bench noted that students, senior citizens, daily wage workers, and office-goers who depend daily on city buses were being left stranded without proper waiting areas. The Court specifically referred to the busy stretch between Medical Square and Krida Square, where buses routinely halted despite there being no designated bus stop, forcing commuters to stand on the roadside throughout the year.
The situation was found to be equally alarming at the “Swami Samartha Manewada Road Besa” bus stop, which had allegedly become inaccessible due to poor placement and unchecked encroachments by vendors and vehicle owners. The Judges observed that despite regular anti-encroachment drives elsewhere in the city, authorities had turned a blind eye to this location, even during the intense Vidarbha heatwave months.
The Division Bench of Justice Anil S. Kilor and Justice Raj D. Wakode criticised the civic apathy, observing that, “the absence of basic infrastructure at bus stops is not merely an administrative lapse but reflects a failure of constitutional governance.” Stressing that commuters cannot be left exposed to extreme weather conditions without minimum facilities, the Court declared, “When citizens are compelled to wait in extreme weather conditions without shelter or seating, the State effectively denies them a life of dignity guaranteed under Article 21.” The Bench further reminded Municipal Corporations that they are constitutionally and statutorily obligated to ensure minimum public transport infrastructure standards.
Consequently, the Court directed the Municipal Commissioner of Nagpur to conduct an enquiry, take necessary steps for bus stop infrastructure and passenger amenities, and submit an action taken report within four months.
Case Title: Court’s on its own motion vs. The State of Maharashtra, Thr. Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mumbai and Ors.
Case No.: Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation No. 25 of 2026
Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Anil S. Kilor, Hon’ble Mr. Justice Raj D. Wakode
Advocate for the Petitioner: None
Advocate for the Respondent: Adv. S. M. Ukey
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