The Bombay high court on Tuesday sought an explanation in the form of an affidavit from the additional chief secretary of Maharashtra over the government’s failure to implement directions pertaining t
The Bombay high court on Tuesday sought an explanation in the form of an affidavit from the additional chief secretary of Maharashtra over the government’s failure to implement directions pertaining to the implementation of traffic rules and regulations passed by the HC in 2015.
A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Amjad Sayed expressed its displeasure over the state’s inability to follow the high court’s directions for implementing traffic rules and regulations.
A division bench headed by the then Chief Justice of the Bombay high court Mohit Shah had issued the directions in 2015. The court had issued the directions while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the Bombay Bar Association seeking strict implementation of traffic rules and regulations.
On Tuesday, the high court directed additional chief secretary (home) K.P. Bakshi to file an affidavit after two weeks.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s lawyer informed the court that the committee, appointed by the HC by an order dated May 2012, has not organised any meeting and the government has not implemented any of the other directions or suggestions.
The judges expressed their displeasure at this and directed Mr Bakshi to file a personal affidavit explaining the reasons for the government’s failure to implement the court’s order and what has been done in this regard so far. The bench has posted this matter for further hearing on September 2.
In its 2015 order, the bench had said that several issues are required to be brought to the attention of the committee, including problems faced by pedestrians. The problems spelled out by the court included improper placing of traffic signals, dividers, medians and barricades along footpaths.
Some of the other problems included motorists not halting at the advance stop lines and before zebra crossings, and lamp posts being constructed in front of traffic lights, making it difficult for motorists to observe the traffic signal.
