Gauhati HC halts NH-715 expansion between Kaliabor-Numaligarh, demands revised plan

The Gauhati High Court has suspended the expansion and reconstruction work of National Highway-715 between Kaliabor Tiniali and Numaligarh, directing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to submit a modified proposal with an alternative alignment.

The decision was issued in response to Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 38/2024) filed by 65 eminent citizens of Kaliabor, challenging the project’s impact on local communities. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kaushik Goswami ruled that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is currently reviewing the highway expansion, and accordingly, all construction work should be halted until a revised proposal is submitted.

The High Court’s ruling, based on the affidavit submitted by MoRTH, formally dismissed the PIL while allowing petitioners the liberty to file a fresh petition if necessary. “Taking into consideration the fact that the whole project of widening/construction of NH-715 is under review, we deem it appropriate to close these PIL petitions,” the court’s order stated.

Senior Advocate Kamal Nayan Choudhury, along with Advocates Kon Kalita and Prashanta Kumar Saikia, represented the petitioners, arguing that the proposed project would disrupt several local communities.

The Four Lane Demand Committee, Kaliabor, had previously voiced strong opposition to the proposed NH-715 diversion that would bypass Kuwaritol, Hatbor, and Jakhalabandha. Senior advocate Upamanyu Hazarika, representing the committee, warned that over 80,000 residents would suffer economic setbacks if the highway were rerouted.

On December 15, 2024, committee representatives met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in New Delhi, raising concerns about the potential economic and environmental damage posed by the project.

Earlier, the Gauhati High Court had instructed the central government and NHAI to clarify their stance on the project’s alignment. The PIL petitioners had argued that the NHAI’s current alignment deviates from the originally planned route as per MoRTH’s national highway list.

With the court’s latest directive, the future of NH-715’s expansion remains uncertain until a revised plan is submitted and reviewed. In the meantime, residents and local organizations continue to push for a development plan that minimizes adverse socio-economic and environmental impacts.