Telangana HC issues notices to Centre, state, GHMC on potholes

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday admitted a public interest litigation (PIL) on inaction of the state government and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in taking steps to maintain roads and footpaths by clearing potholes and other obstructions and keep manholes properly covered to protect people from accidents in the state.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Anil Kumar Jukanti issued notices to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, state Chief Secretary,  principal secretaries of transport, roads and buildings department, municipal administration and urban development department, panchayat raj and rural development department and the GHMC commissioner, directing them to respond to the notices within four weeks.

Chikkudu Prabhakar, appearing for the  petitioner Keethineedi Akhil Sri Guru Teja, a resident of from Hyderabad, informed the court that the state government is not implementing the guidelines of the Supreme Court on the road safety due to which many citizens died —, 7,559 people died in 2022 — in road accidents in the state and that Telangana State stood 10th position across the country in road accidents.

He further informed that 153 accidents occurred and 40 persons killed due to potholes and the state stood fourth place in the number of persons killed due to potholes, across the country.

The counsel further informed the court that many other citizens died due to manholes, drainage holes across the state and the state’s endeavour to repair roads and safeguard potholes and manholes to protect the life of citizens is very less.