BELAGAVI
Work on the Halga-Macche bypass of the Belagavi-Goa NH748, which had commenced from March 16, has been suspended due to a High Court order issued on Thursday.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had restarted the work after the contractor managed to vacate the stay that was obtained by the farmers last year. Despite facing legal hurdles, the NHAI had pushed forward with construction on the Halga-Machhe bypass road as the work was being carried out on a war footing.
The NHAI and the contractor had resumed work under police protection, after contending that the stay has been vacated. However, the agitating farmers appealed before the Dharwad Bench of the Karnataka High Court last week.
After hearing both sides on Thursday, where the validity of a previous court order from 2022 was questioned, the lawyers engaged in a spirited debate for over an hour, highlighting the intricacies of the case. Following the extensive deliberation, the court has once again intervened, halting the construction of the Halga-Machhe bypass road and reserving its final decision on the matter for a later date. The High Court has asked both the parties to maintain the status quo.
Following the court order, the construction machinery and vehicles have been parked by the sides, offering respite to local farmers. According to NHAI, the stay has been imposed on a few stretches, however, the work would continue on the non-disputed stretches.
“Only a few farmers are now protesting as almost half of them have already approached us for the compensation,” a senior NHAI official said. “Of the 30 kms of stretch along the six-lane NH 748 between Khanapur and Halga, 21 kms is already operative. We are confident that we would be able to lift the stay by the High Court,” the official added.
