Thursday, 19 May 2022 | PNS | Nainital
Hearing on a public interest litigation regarding the proposed ropeway at Ranibagh in Nainital district, the Uttarakhand high court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to submit its stand by way of an affidavit by June 15. The direction was issued by the divison bench of acting chief justice Sanjaya Kumar Mishra and justice RC Khulbe while hearing the PIL filed by activist Ajay Rawat. In the past the court had made the NHAI a party in the case and directed it to clarify the scenario regarding the ropeway. Acting on the court’s directions, the NHAI counsel on Wednesday informed that the Central government ahd accorded it the task of executing major ropeway projects, including the project in question. The authority had also handed out the contract for executing this project to a company in March 2022. Now the NHAI will check this project once again. The HC division bench has directed the NHAI to put these facts in an affidavit to be submitted in the court.
According to the case details, Nainital resident Ajay Rawat had filed the PIL stating that the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board and the State government are proposed to construct a ropeway in Ranibagh. The project involves construction on the Manora peak located between the Nihal and Baliya nalas. Both these nalas are extremely sensitive according to geological reports, considering which no such construction activity should be undertaken in the area. In the past the HC had prevented any type of construction activity in the Hanumangarhi area. The petitioner has also stressed that he is not opposing the ropeway but is seeking a detailed geological inspection of the area in question before execution of the project.
