SC to hear plea on Char Dham Highway by May 14 as it touches sensitive border with China
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New Delhi, May 11: Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would hear on May 14 a case relating to the widening of roads of Char Dham highway in Uttarakhand. A Bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari posted the matter for Friday while observing that issue of widening of roads leading to the China border is of national importance.
Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for Centre, contended that the govt has said that the roads have to be constructed at a width of 7 meters. The apex court had in Sep 2020 had ordered that the road width on the entire Char Dham route cannot be more than 5.5 meters in view of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' (MoRTH) own circular in 2018. During the hearing, Attorney General told the apex court that Justice Rohinton F Nariman's Bench had allowed 5.5 meters, but the MoRTH amended it, saying that the roads are being used for different purposes, going right up to the Chinese borders.
Asking the counsels in the case to give it all the relevant orders by today evening or by tomorrow morning, the Bench posted the plea of Centre for widening of roads for hearing on Friday. The case is related to the 900-km Char Dham highway project, which the govt has said will improve access to four Hindu pilgrim sites in Uttarakhand. NGO Citizens for Green Doon had approached the top court and raised environmental concerns regarding the Char Dham highway project. Citizens for Green Doon had approached the SC of the devastation caused to mountains as a result of violations of directions by authorities.
After the court's order that the road width on the entire Char Dham route cannot be more than 5.5 meters in view of MoRTH's own circular in 2018, the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) had moved the apex court and sought modification of its order and sought widening of the road in the border areas and completion of Char Dham road project in Uttarakhand with originally specified width of the road.
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The Chairman of the High Power Committee had in a minority report flagged widening of roads under the Char Dham project, which touches sensitive borders with China. The Ministry of Defence had said given the present situation, quick movement of men and machinery would be of paramount importance and require wide roads. By a fresh circular on Dec 15, 2020, MoRTH also amended its previous circular of 2018 and increased the road width in hilly and mountainous terrains along the Indo-China border to 10 meters. The Supreme Court had set up the High Powered Committee in Aug 2019 and mandated it to consider the ecological impact of the 900-km project, which the govt has said will improve access to four Hindu pilgrim sites in Uttarakhand.