NGT takes suo motu cognisance of unsafe widening work on Pathankot-Mandi highway in HP

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognisance of a news report on unsafe four-lane widening work on the Pathankot-Mandi NH-154 in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district.

It was reported that the poorly planned and unscientific widening of the road in Kangra district is threatening the safety and homes of villagers, particularly in the 18-km stretch between Thaanpuri and Parore.

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The NGT noted that the project awarded to Ridhi Sidhi Construction Company has resulted in a “slope cutting dangerously close to residential houses in the absence of any protective walls.”

It was mentioned in the news report that the steep vertical cuts, made alarmingly close to the houses, were left without any safety barriers.
“The villagers have alleged that although they submitted multiple complaints, the construction company began erecting a retaining wall only after a recent heavy spell of rain — and the measures taken so far remain inadequate,” the Tribunal observed.

To protect themselves, the affected families had to cover the dangerously exposed vertical slopes near their homes with tarpaulins — mostly purchased at their own expense, it stated.

“The article further points out that this is not an isolated incident in Kangra district. Haphazard excavation work and incomplete infrastructure related to the Pathankot–Mandi four-lane project have placed many homes at risk, damaged local roads, and disrupted natural drainage systems. With the monsoon season now active, the threat of landslides, property damage, and accidents continues to grow across the region, putting several communities in danger,” the NGT said.

While noting that the issue indicates a violation of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the NGT said, “The news item raises substantial issues relating to compliance with environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of the scheduled enactment.” It added that the Tribunal’s power to take up the matter suo motu has been recognised by the Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors”.

The NGT issued notices to the Himachal Pradesh Disaster Management Authority, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, and the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board seeking their replies through affidavits. The next date of hearing is scheduled for November 3.