CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday eased the ban on night travel on the Dhimbam Ghat Road on the Coimbatore-Bengaluru National Highway for local villagers and forest dwellers while restricting operation of certain types of heavy commercial vehicles on the stretch, which runs through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).
The first bench headed by Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari passed the order on petitions filed against the night travel ban, which was enforced from February this year. "No vehicle which has 12 wheels and above shall be permitted to enter the Dhimbam Ghat Road at all for any purpose. No truck/trailer with a total weight of 16.2 tonnes and above will be permitted to enter the road," the bench ordered.
However, trucks and trailers having up to 10 wheels and weighing less than 16.2 tonnes are permitted to ply through the stretch from dawn to dusk with a speed limit of 30 km per hour on the plains and 20 km per hour on the ghat section. Violators shall be punished with action, including penalty, the court said.
The court also allowed passenger buses to operate between 6 am and 9 pm, stating that they can have a night halt if their destination is any of the villages on the stretch. Two-wheelers and three-wheelers are permitted to use the road only from 6 am to 9 pm.
Local villagers, tribals, forest dwellers and agriculturists in the area shall be given photo identity cards to allow them to operate light motor vehicles on the stretch without any time restrictions.
‘Emergency vehicles can use the road’
Heavy vehicles ferrying vegetables and fruits from the local villages will be allowed to move out even during night but entry will not be permitted, except for milk vans. Ambulances and vehicles used for emergencies/ medical purposes, including that of doctors/paramedical staff and regular health workers, will be allowed to ply but must observe the speed limit.
The court directed government authorities to install CCTV cameras every 5 km, from exit to entry, on the 27-km stretch. The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highway Authority of India were directed to grant permission to the Forest Department to collect an entry fee from commercial vehicles and were also told to explore the options of building an under/over pass for the smooth movement of animals.
The verdict, written by the CJ, quoted from the Tirukkural and works of poet Bharathiyar on compassion for other living beings, protection and proliferation of all lives, on the soil and on bio-diversity, besides mentioning the philanthropistrulers who showed kindness towards all living beings, such as Sibi, Paari and Pegan and Manuneethi Chozhan, whose statue stands tall in the high court premises.