*Himachal Pradesh High Court Orders Strict Action Against Unauthorized Construction Along Highways*

Himachal Pradesh High Court Orders Strict Action Against Unauthorized Construction Along Highways

The Chief Secretary has been instructed to ensure compliance across state roads and highways.

Shimla: In a significant directive, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the Chief Secretary to ensure that no unauthorized construction or encroachment occurs on government land along national highways, state highways, district roads, or other local roads.

A division bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kainthala issued the order while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to encroachments.

Key Directives:

– Monitor Government Land: Officials must closely monitor government land along highways to prevent unauthorized construction or encroachment.
– Immediate Reporting: Any instances of unauthorized construction or encroachment must be reported immediately to the competent authorities.
– Removal of Encroachments: Competent authorities must take swift action to remove encroachments upon detection.
– Prevent Recurrence: Officials must ensure that cleared encroachments do not reappear.

Consequences of Non-Compliance:

– Contempt Proceedings
– Departmental Action, including Suspension or Dismissal from Service
– Criminal Proceedings under applicable laws

The court warned that failure to comply with these directives would result in severe consequences, including suspension or dismissal of officials who neglect to report or address unauthorized construction and encroachments.

This ruling underscores the court’s commitment to maintaining public land integrity and ensuring highways remain free from unauthorized constructions that pose safety risks or disrupt traffic flow.