Shimla, Apr 4,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has taken a stern stance against the Public Works Department (PWD) for failing to fulfill its commitment to complete a crucial road project, directing that contempt proceedings be initiated against senior officials. The court noted that despite an assurance given in 2019 to complete the metalling of the Kelodhar-Siyanj Bagda road by March 2020, the PWD left the work incomplete even after four years.
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The matter was brought before a bench comprising Justices Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Sushil Kukreja through a petition filed by Hem Singh, who sought the widening and paving of the road. The PWD had previously submitted a status report stating that the 11-19 km stretch from Naglog to Balidhar would be completed within the stipulated timeframe, which led to the case being closed. However, when no progress was made, Singh filed a compliance petition, bringing the department’s inaction to light.
Observing “willful disregard” of its orders, the court criticized the PWD for neither completing the work nor seeking an extension. The contractor, M/s Krishna High Base Pvt Ltd, had been fined ₹20 lakh for delays, but the penalty was never recovered, and the contract was eventually terminated in March 2020. A subsequent contractor assigned to complete the remaining work also failed, prompting the PWD to cancel the agreement in May 2021.
Despite the court’s intervention, the department did not take any concrete steps until 2024, when the work was finally re-allotted. The High Court has now directed the PWD to submit an affidavit explaining why contempt proceedings should not be initiated for failing to comply with its orders.
