An HC bench issued the order on an interlocutory application filed by the NHAI seeking to resume the road widening work in the area, following the state govt’s nod to proceed with the project
Kochi: The high court has directed that work on widening the Neriamangalam-Valara stretch of NH 85 shall resume only after a joint team of the revenue and forest departments demarcates the area and identifies the trees likely to be affected, in compliance with an earlier order. Meanwhile, Jayachandran, filed an IA seeking to amend the pleadings in his PIL to enable him to challenge the chief secretary’s July 7 order and the application was allowed. The court posted the PIL for Oct 14.
Similarly, while considering the NHAI’s plea to resume the work, the court noted that the joint inspection of the land by revenue and forest officials did not appear to have been completed. Accordingly, the bench ordered that the work shall resume only after the exercise is completed to its satisfaction.