Manipur High Court takes suo motu cognizance of poor road conditions, registers PIL
A bench of chief justice K. Somasekhar and justice A. Guneshwar Sharma issued notices to the state government departments concerned through the Advocate General
IMPHAL: The Manipur high court on Monday took suo motu cognisance of the worsening road infrastructure across the state and registered a public interest litigation to monitor the road conditions in the state.
A bench of chief justice K. Somasekhar and justice A. Guneshwar Sharma issued notices to the state government departments concerned through the Advocate General, and asked them to respond by September 8.
The court also directed the government to submit a complete list of authorities responsible for road repairs in both hill and valley districts so that they may be impleaded in the case.
The move follows the submission of a detailed report by the Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MASLSA), which highlighted hazardous road conditions, particularly on routes leading to hospitals, courts, schools, and markets.
The report was based on field assessments by all District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) following a July 15, 2025 directive, and included photographic and GPS-tagged evidence, testimonies from residents, and records of accidents linked to poor road maintenance.
With monsoon rains worsening road conditions and increasing the risk of accidents, the petition seeks urgent measures, including the time-bound repair of critical roads, the creation of a monitoring committee, or the appointment of an amicus curiae, as well as a detailed state report on road inventories, tenders, budgets, and repair timelines.
It said that the state’s failure to maintain safe and motorable roads violates Article 21 of the Constitution and cited a recent Supreme Court ruling that recognises the right to safe roads as part of fundamental rights under Articles 19(1)(g) and 21.
The PIL names the chief secretary, principal secretary and chief engineers of the public works department, principal secretary of rural development & panchayati raj department, and chief engineer of Manipur State Rural Roads Development Agency as the respondents.
