IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD (Special Original Jurisdiction) MONDAY, THE SEVENTH DAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND FIVE PRESENT HON'BLE SRI DEVINDER GUPTA, THE CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE M.NARAYANA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO.20197 of 2002 Between: Sodisetti Balaji Rao, S/o. Venkateswara Rao, Hindu, R/o Machilipatnam, Krishna District. ..... PETITIONER AND 1 Government of India, rep. by its Secretary, Ministry of Surface Transport, Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi - 110 001. 2 Government of India, rep. by its Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi - 110 001. 3 Government of Andhra Pradesh, rep. by its Secretary, Roads, Buildings & Ports, Secretariat Bldgs., Hyderabad. 4 National Highways Authority, Represented by its Chief Engineer, Hyderabad. .....RESPONDENTS Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying that in the circumstances stated in the Affidavit filed herein the High Court will be pleased to issue a writ, order or direction, more particularly a writ of Mandamus, directing the respondents to lay National Highway No.214as was originally programmed as shown in Part-I of the Annexure by declaring the action of the respondents in changing the routes as shown in part-II of the Annexure as illegal and ultra vires to the Provisions of Article 14 of the Constitution of India and pass such other order or orders as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the circumstance of the case. Counsel for the Petitioner : Sri V.S.R.ANJANEYALU Counsel for the Respondents: Sri A.RAJASHEKAR REDDY (S.C. for Central Govt.) Sri S.S.Varma, S.C. for Central Govt. The Court made the following : ORAL ORDER: (Per Hon’ble the Chief Justice) Writ Petition filed as public interest litigation by a practising Advocate seeking direction against respondent to lay National Highway No.214, as was originally shown in Part-I of the Annexure, and to declare the action of respondents in changing the route, as illegal and ultra vires of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Writ Petition was filed on 07th October, 2002. Affidavit in reply was filed by the Regional Officer, National Highways, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India. Writ Petition has been rendered infructuous since the route requested has already been declared as National Highway No.214-A and Gazette Notification was issued by the Government of India declaring it to be National Highway No.214-A vide notification dated 25th February, 2004. In view of the affidavit in reply, the writ petition is dismissed as infructuous. ________________________ DEVINDER GUPTA, C.J. _________________________ M.NARAYANA REDDY, J. 07-02-2005 bsc ..... REGISTRAR // TRUE COPY // SECTION OFFICER To 1 The Secretary, Ministry of Surface Transport, Government of India, Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi - 110 001. 2 The Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India,Transport Bhavan, Parliament Street, New Delhi - 110 001. 3 The Secretary, Roads, Buildings & Ports, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Secretariat Bldgs., Hyderabad. 4 The Chief Engineer, National Highways Authority, Hyderabad. 5. 2 CCs to Sri A.Rajasekhar Reddy, Standing Counsel for Central Govt. (OUT) 6. 1 CC to Sri V.ANJANEYALU, Advocate (OUT) 7. 2 CD copies Form-NIC-OGS/WP{VEENA}