Criminal complaint against NHAI for ‘using unscientific methods’ for NH construction in HP

Police are probing the matter, but they haven’t registered a case yet.

SP, Solan, Gaurav Singh, has acknowledged the receipt of the complaint.

Talking to The Indian Express, Gaurav Singh said, “We have received a complaint of criminal negligence by the NHAI and its associates at the Parwanoo police station. The records by the NHAI for the same would be called for and an inquiry is being done to check if unscientific methods were used in the construction of a four-lane road on the Parwanoo-Solan section of the national highway. The investigations are on and only after the inquiry a case would be registered in this regard.”

In his criminal complaint, a copy of which is with The Indian Express, Panwar said, “This is a complaint for criminal negligence leading to massive loss to the natural ecosystem, human lives, assets, financial loss to the people… It is a criminal complaint against the NHAI comprising its executing and planning officers and the executing company – G R Infra project.”

Panwar said that it was the wrongly cut mountains during the construction of the four-lane NH between Parwanoo and Solan that had resulted in enormous destruction in Himachal Pradesh in the recent rain fury which not only led to infrastructural damage but also brought huge financial losses to the residents of this tourist state.

Talking to The Indian Express, Panwar said, “Both NHAI and the GR Infra are responsible for the construction of a four-lane highway from Parwanoo to Solan and they were responsible for ensuring minimum damage to the hills while working on this road project. However, it seems both parties have allegedly connived with each other and have either not consulted the Geological department while preparing the project report, or the said report was not accurate.”

He added, “Since the construction of the national highway began, there have been loss of assets and lives. Also, the design of cutting was erroneously manufactured for ill-conceived ideas and gains. In the complaint I have mentioned how instead of cutting the mountains on slopes, they have cut them vertically, and this would be a perpetual problem for the people for whom this project was developed. Both NHAI and GR Infra are liable to be tried for criminal neglect.”

An NHAI official on the condition of anonymity said, “We have come to know about the complaint that has been filed against NHAI, but we are yet to get it. Only after we get a copy of the complaint, we would be able to say anything on the matter.”

In the recent past, The Indian Express had reported how scores of people believed that the destruction caused by the monsoon fury in Himachal Pradesh was more man-made than the creation of nature, and it could have been avoided to a great extent.

Also, Kasauli MLA Vinod Sultanpuri had highlighted this issue during the budget session of the assembly in March this year, but no-one paid heed to it.

Kasauli executive engineer Ranjan Gupta had also highlighted the issue which was reported by The Indian Express. He had claimed that there were several loopholes in the entire construction which had left the wrongly cut mountains prone to landslides.