The Bombay High Court has imposed a cost of ₹50,000 on the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the public works department (PWD) of the Maharashtra government for the delay in the construction and maintenance work of the Mumbai-Goa highway. The costs are to be paid to the petitioner, Owais Pechkar, who approached the High Court due to the non-compliance and breach of undertaking by the authorities.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Arif Doctor noted that the petitioner had been forced to approach the court to seek relief, incurring litigation expenses. The imposed costs are intended to cover these expenses. The court also directed the Project Director of NHAI and the Superintendent Engineer of PWD to visit the highway spots and submit a report within four weeks.
The petitioner had filed a public interest litigation in 2021, alleging that the presence of potholes on the highway and the ongoing widening work had resulted in numerous accidents. NHAI had given an undertaking to the High Court that the road widening and repairs would be completed within two years. However, the time limit expired in December 2020, and NHAI did not seek any extension from the court.
NHAI informed the court that it had issued tenders and assigned the work to a contractor. It had also issued a show cause notice to the contractor for the delay in completing the work. The court had previously observed in 2022 that the progress of highway widening was disappointing, as it had been pending since 2010, and directed NHAI to expedite the work.
The court will next hear the PIL on August 9, considering the ongoing concerns regarding the Mumbai-Goa highway and the need for timely completion of the construction and maintenance tasks.
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