A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the safety and durability of bridges in Bihar was transferred by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to the Patna High Court. The filing comes after there were numerous bridge collapses around the state in recent months, prompting fears they might not be structurally sound.
Chief Judge Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar sat on a bench, instructing the Patna High Court to follow the matter and monitor all the appropriate actions by the authorities that have to be taken to provide appropriate safety and structural auditions of bridges. The court suggested that, ideally, the high court should get into the act by immediately monitoring the progress made on this to ensure that the carbon emission reduction targets are met every month.
The bench also directed lawyer Brajesh Singh, the petitioner of the PIL, state authorities and representatives from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to be present before the Patna High Court on May 14. The high court will also determine what dates future proceedings will be held during this hearing and how they will proceed to address the issue.
The Bihar state government had informed the Supreme Court during the brief hearing that it has inspected more than 10,000 bridges in the state. The bench was also shown a counter affidavit of measures taken so far.
We have gone through the counter: the bench after reviewing the affidavit. Patna court will take up the case. But the counter affidavit adds details of efforts that continue.”
On November 18, 2023, the Bihar government had earlier been given a final opportunity to reply to the PIL by the Supreme Court. Brajesh Singh, petitioner, had, in his earlier petition to the court, sought permission to submit additional documents and news reports on the poor state of Bihar’s bridges.
Unlike other nations, this case has to now come under the jurisdiction of Patna High Court, wherein regular monitoring and audits have to be brought in place to ensure the long-term safety of the state’s infrastructure.
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