Gujarat High Court Directs State To Depute Experts For Physical Examination Of Gondal’s Two Century-Old Bridges
|The Gujarat High Court while dealing with a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) has yesterday directed the State to depute experts for the purpose of physical examination of the two-century-old bridges situated at Gondal, Rajkot.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice A.J. Desai and Justice Biren Vaishnav said, “… to get proper examination of the said aspect, we hereby direct the respondent State Authorities to depute the experts to physically examine bridges involved in the present case and shall file a report with regard to the same.”
The Bench in this regard further issued notices to the Gondal municipality and additional engineer (design) of the roads and buildings department.
Advocate Rathin P. Raval appeared on behalf of the applicant while Government Pleader Manisha L. Shah appeared on behalf of the State.
In this case, a PIL was filed stating that the two bridges situated at Gondal were very old and in very bad condition. The said bridges were built by a king around a century ago.
The applicant claimed that he had approached various authorities to raise the issue of the condition of the said bridges but no action was taken by any of the authorities. He raised such an issue to avoid a situation alike the collapse of the Morbi bridge.
The High Court in the above context noted, “Ms.Shah has placed on record two reports in connection with the bridges which are required to be repaired as per the say of the petitioner. … As per the said two communications, bridge inspection report dated 05.11.2022 filed by the Chief Officer of Gondal Nagarpalika, suggests that there is no need to repair the bridge.”
Accordingly, the Court listed the matter for the next hearing on June 28, 2023.
Cause Title- Yatishbhai Govindbhai Desai v. State of Gujarat