BENGALURU: The High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the state and Union governments on public interest litigation challenging the widening of National Highway-66 passing through Padubidri town in Udupi.
A division bench of officiating Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice B V Nagarathna issued the notice after hearing the petitions filed by Rashtriya Heddari Sambhavya Santrastara Samiti and Vartakara Sangha, Padubidri.
The respondents are the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI); Chief Secretary to Government of Karnataka; Principal Secretary to Public Works Department and Deputy Commissioner, Udupi. The counsel for the petitioners argued that 96 structures comprising educational institutions, temples, shops and commercial establishments have to be demolished on either side of the highway passing through Padubidri, as the NHAI authorities have modified the widening of the National Highway-66 on the instructions of a local MP.