Nagpur: After slamming Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) for delaying the work for 17 years, Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court is now treating
electric poles shifting case as a separate public interest litigation (PIL). Now, citizens can hope for removal of poles in a time bound manner.
TOI on June 25 had reported the civic body’s failure to remove poles and transformers from 22 roads in last 17 years. Quoting TOI’s report, amicus curiae and senior counsel Shrirang Bhadarkar had moved an application seeking merger of the case with the PIL related to overhead electric lines and its threats.
HC had considered the application on June 27 and issued notices to NMC and MSEDCL. After going through replies of NMC and MSEDCL, judges DP Dharmadhikari and ZA Haq have said case will be treated as a separate PIL.
Bhandarkar told TOI, HC directed the NMC to submit details of provision of funds made while planning or executing IRDP project due to which electric poles and transformers had come on main carriageway.
“NMC informed HC that works were completed on 19 roads at a cost of Rs 50 crore. NMC added Rs 50 crore more required for completing the remaining work. NMC cited funds’ constraint behind delay that was not acceptable. MSEDCL stated it was having funds for the work,” he said.
NMC’s budget is over Rs 2,200 crore per year. NMC’s claim of lacking funds for safety on roads that too for 17 years was always suspect. Also, MSEDCL had always showed readiness to contribute 50% of cost.
