CS told to form forum to solve traffic, road woes

Hyderabad: Expressing displeasure at the government departments for shrugging responsibility for road management and addressing traffic congestion issues, the Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday sought “one voice” from the Telangana state government on the issue, instead of giving justifications.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt was hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) on the letter of a city resident based on a news report carried by Deccan Chronicle.

This newspaper on July 13, had carried the news report, ‘City roads turn death traps’ which described the poorly managed and potholed roads, in many parts of GHMC limits, which had claimed three lives in a very short span of time.

Mr K. Subramanyam, a resident of East Marredpally, wrote a letter to Chief Justice Radhakrishnan annexing the news report and urged the intervention of the High Court in the matter and to direct the officials to take adequate steps to fill the potholes.

The bench directed Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi to establish a common forum to resolve problems regarding traffic congestion and control and maintaining of roads. The bench wanted the government to conduct a meeting with officials from the roads and building, municipal administration, home and relevant departments. The court asked for a report by January 3.

The court told Mr Joshi to try getting “one voice” and creating one platform from the departments to address the issues, instead of shifting the work to the others. The court wanted Mr Joshi to pull in the local and self-governing bodies to take part in the discussions. Chief Justice Radhakrishan said the cout was expecting that there would be a pro-active approach from the seats of governance on the management of roads.

Earlier the court considered the issue suo motu and sought a report from the member secretary of Telangana State Legal Services Authority as a party to the case.