HC fines state, NHAI for delay in NH66 work

Mumbai: Slamming the state PWD and Nhai for breach of their undertakings to finish widening of Mumbai-Goa NH66 by December 2020, Bombay HC on Wednesday directed them to pay Rs 50,000 costs to an advocate.

A bench led by Acting Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar directed the amount be paid to Owais Pechkar as litigation costs. Pechkar had filed a PIL in 2018 on bad state of roads on NH-66 and delay in four-laning work that began in 2010. NHAI and PWD had said that last phase of work would end in 2020.

The judges directed NHAI’s project director and PWD superintendent to inspect work and submit a report in four weeks.