MADURAI
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday summoned the Project Director of National Highways Authority of India, Tirunelveli, in a public interest litigation petition filed in 2016 seeking a direction to the authority to move the electricity poles to the margins of a highway in Virudhunagar district.
A Division Bench of Justices S.S. Sundar and C. Saravanan summoned the official in the petition filed by N.S. Ramaraj of Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district, who complained that electricity poles erected in the British era were causing hindrance to the public. The case was adjourned till March 17.
The petitioner said that National Highway 208 connected Madurai with Kollam in Kerala. On the stretch in Rajapalayam, the NH had electricity poles installed in the middle. Presently, TANGEDCO was maintaining 81 concrete electricity poles, 85 iron poles and 11 transformers on the stretch, he said.
Most of the poles which were on the road caused hindrance to vehicle users and every week there were at least 10 to 15 accidents on the stretch, he claimed. Recently a mini lorry rammed into a transformer on the road, he said.
The NHAI must take steps to shift electricity poles, power lines and transformers to the margins of the highway to ensure free vehicular movement. It was the duty of the authority to maintain the highway without encroachments, he said.
