Stay on construction of road on NH-69 over NTCA approval

Bhopal/Jabalpur: A division bench of MP high court has stayed construction of a road on National Highway-69 from Betul to Obedullaganj after National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) in its reply submitted in the court said that National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had not obtained its approval for the construction of the said road.An advocate from Amravati, Edwit Kiole, in a PIL filed in the MP high court had said that construction of road on National Highway-69 from Betul to Obedullaganj is in progress after obtaining permission from the forest department. But, the area also comes under two tiger reserves - Satpura in MP and Melghat in Maharashtra. It's an area where several wild animals including tigers move around. According to rules, permission of NTCA and National Board of Wildlife should also have been obtained for the construction of the road in the area. He said that the requisite permission from NTCA and National Wildlife Board was not obtained.He further pointed out that NTCA guidelines provide for construction of underpasses, overbridges and culverts for ensuring safe passage of wild animals in such areas. Secretary, ministry of forest & environment, NTCA, National Wildlife Board, NHAI, additional chief secretary, forst, MP government and principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) MP, were made parties in the petition.During hearing of the petition before the bench of Chief Justice R V Malimath and Justice D K Paliwal, NHAI also admitted that all the requisite permissions except for NTCA's for construction of road from Betul to Obedullaganj has been obtained. Efforts are being made to obtain permission of NTCA as well, counsel for the N HAI told the court.Following this, the court stayed the construction of the road while placing the petition for next hearing on April 11. Advocates Anshuman Singh and Tanya Tiwari appeared for the petitioner.