HC notices on petition against RES road tender in Umaria district

Bhopal/Jabalpur: A division bench of MP high court issued notices to respondents in a petition alleging that rural engineering service (RES) department has floated a tender for road construction in Umaria district to legalise a road already constructed on the said site by a builder though it's reserved for roadside plantation.The petitioner Vikas Sachdeva said that on NH-43 passing through Umaria district, a builder has constructed a road up to Radha Swami Satsang Bhavawan though this land is reserved for plantation in official records. The builder has laid the road to fulfil the condition to have a 40 feet approach road for construction of a colony. On his complaint, T &CP had cancelled the NOC given to the builder. He said that the road has already been constructed by the builder on the site, but RES floated a tender for construction of road on the same site so as to legalise the road constructed by the builder. This, despite the land in question is reserved for plantation, he said. The land belongs to the water resources department and is reserved for plantation, he said. The petitioner said that the proposed construction of the road by RES is a misuse of public funds and is detrimental for the environment as well. Water resources and RES department, collector Umaria and the builder in question have been made a party in the petition.Following initial hearing in the case, the division bench of chief justice R V Malimath and Justice Vishal Mishra issued notices to the respondents seeking a response. Advocate Himanshu Mishra appeared in the case for the petitioner.