1` IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR W.P.No. 3678/2007 Court onits own motion. vs. State of Maharashtra, through The Collector, Nagpur and others. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's or directions and Registrar's orders. Orders. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. H.V.Thakur, amicus curiae . Mrs. Dangre, Addl. G.P. for respondent no.1. Mr. C.S.Kaptan, Advocate for respondent no.2. Mr. S.K.Mishra, Advocate for respondent no.3. CORAM : B.H.MARLAPALLE & A.H.JOSHI, JJ DATE : 22.10.2008 Heard Mr. Thakur, learned amicus curiae. 2. This Court had taken suo moto cognizance of a newspaper report that 25 ft. wide bridge on Khamla Road has collapsed and orders were passed from time to time against the respondent no.3 and the Traffic Department of the Police Commissionerate. 3. The respondent no.3 filed a pursis on 16.1.2008 which reads as under: “That the State Government by its decision dated 6.12.2007 has released the funds in favour of the Nagpur Improvement Trust for reconstruction of bridge at Khamla which is the 2` subject matter of the instant writ petition and also for providing basic amenities in the layouts. A copy of the said decision dated 6.12.2007 is annexed herewith for the perusal of this court. Accordingly, the Nagpur Improvement Trust has issued tenders for the work of construction of bridge and the Nagpur Improvement Trust has decided to complete the construction of the bridge within 8 months”. 4. The learned amicus curiae placed before us the recent photographs so as to point out that the reconstruction of the bridges has not yet been completed and the main issue of commuters' safety remains to be attended. In short, it was submitted that the respondent no. 3 has not acted as per its own pursis to complete this construction within 8 months. Mr. S.K.Mishra, learned counsel for respondent no.3 has received written instructions, copy of which was placed before us. It is clear that the work order was issued on 28.3.2008 after finalising of the contract and after completing about 20% of the total work the contractor could not proceed further. The reasons given by the contractor are that the work had to be stopped for 3 months because of monsoon, major interceptor sewer and telephone cables had to be shifted which were not known as existed at the time of preparing 3` estimate for the work and the major water pipe line passing through the alignment collapsed during monsoon. 5. We are not concerned with the merits of the contractor's reasons and it is for the respondent no.3 to ensure that the work is completed within the stipulated period. Mr. Mishra stated that the fine has been imposed on the contractor. 6. Be that as it may, we direct the respondent no.3 to ensure that reconstruction work of Khamla Road Bridge is completed by 31st May 2009 and it shall take all appropriate steps to maintain the said time scheduled. 7. The learned amicu curiae has invited our attention to the remaining prayers and more particularly to direct the respondents to jointly undertake a survey of Traffic flowing over the various bridges in the Nagpur City by taking into account the construction norms laid down by the technical circular dated 21.3.1988 for inspection of bridges issued by the Public Works Department and further to ensure strict regulation of traffic flowing over the bridges so as to ensure the structural safety of the bridges. We hope that the respondents are aware of the utmost importance to maintain the safety of all the 4` bridges and it would be their duty to undertake the technical inspection from time to time in keeping with the guidelines laid down by the Public Works Department. Such survey should be periodically done and preferably after every two years so that remedial measures are taken in time. 8. Save and except the above directions and observations made the petition stands disposed off. JUDGE JUDGE patle 5`