File counter on a plea against the constructing vehicle underpass in NH-7, NHAI told

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the National Highways Authority to file its counter in a petition filed against the construction of a vehicle underpass at Sikkarimedu at NH-7 of Krishnagiri to Hosur line.

A vacation bench of Justice R Mahadevan and Justice S Ananthi passed the direction to the NHAI on hearing a petition filed by C Siraj, Secretary, Makkal Nalavazhvu Sangam, Krishnagiri.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to quash the order of NHAI rejecting the request of the association to change the location for constructing the vehicle underpass from Sikkarimedu to Polupalli Junction in Krishnagiri.

"Sikkarimedu is lying out of the Krishnagiri town in NH-7. As per the Indian Road Congress, the vehicle underpass should be constructed only at junctions. While Sikkarimedu has no junction, Polupalli isn't the right place where the medical college, district forest office, district agriculture office, government arts - science college and polytechnic colleges are functioning near the Polupalli function. As more than 10,000 people cross the NH-7 in Polupalli junction, the vehicle underpass should have been constructed in that particular place, " the petitioner submitted.

He further contended that when he made a representation to the NHAI to change the location, it was rejected by the authorities.

On recording the submissions, the bench asked the NHAI to file it's response within four weeks and adjourned the matter to June first week.