SRINAGAR Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed Deputy Commissioner Srinagar to file an affidavit delineating specific details of the steps taken for acquisition, release of compensation and taking-over of possession of the required land as well as the status of the fund availability towards compensation which is payable regarding widening of road from Dalgate to Hazratbal Srinagar.
We had directed the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, who is stated to be the land acquiring authority to give specific details of the steps taken for acquisition, release of compensation and taking over of possession of the required land etc., which has not been done, a division bench of the court headed by Chief justice Gita Mittal said while hearing a Public Interest Litigation complaining delay with regard to road widening in the city of Srinagar from Dalgate to Hazratbal. The petition states that proceedings for acquisition of land were initiated as back as in the year 2002.
A fresh affidavit in compliance to order dated 31.08.2018 shall be filed positively within one week from today failing which respondent no. 5 as well as the Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, shall remain present in person in the Court on the next date of hearing and shall inform us with regard to the status of land which stands acquired and possession whereof taken over, the court added.
On August 31, the High Court directed Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) Kashmir to set-out the dates with time lines with regard to all the matters including approval of the proposal of road widening from Dalgate to Hazratbal Srinagar.
Hearing a petition, the court headed had observed: We have perused the status report filed by the Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) Kashmir, in the matter. The same is hopelessly deficient and gives no dates as well.
The court had directed the Chief Engineer to file an affidavit, setting out the dates with time lines with regard to all the matters including approval of the proposal of road widening; the necessary steps for the purpose and the current status including the date wise steps taken in the acquisition process.
Pursuant to courts order dated August 31, the Chief Engineer filed a report but court found that no information was forthcoming from the acquiring authority. Instead, an affidavit has been filed by Sami Arif Yesvi, presently posted as Chief Engineer, PW(R&B), Department, stating out certain steps
regarding acquisition proceedings which commenced in the year 2009-10 giving
only half baked information regarding acquisition proceedings.