SUKKUR: The Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, on Tuesday warned the National Highway Authority (NHA) to complete restoration of the National Highway between Sukkur and Hyderabad failing which it would be stopped from collecting toll tax from commuters on this section.

The bench comprising Justice Zaffar Ahmed Rajput and Justice Khadim Hussain Tunio was seized with a petition filed by a citizen, Khan Mohammad Sohu, seeking court’s intervention in the matter.

The petitioner claimed that the reconstruction and restoration work undertaken by the NHA last month had been suspended. The flood-battered road was the main cause of frequent accidents taking place on this section, he submitted.

The NHA officials concerned along with their counsel were in attendance at the hearing.

Justice Rajput came down hard on NHA officials for their indifferent attitude towards their responsibilities, and asked them to explain why the damaged portions of the highway was not being repaired. He remarked that NHA collected toll tax from people but appeared not ready to facilitate their travel. “You are not showing seriousness in fulfilling your responsibilities,” the judge observed.

He reminded them that over 20 people had lost their lives in a single accident recently due to a battered road near Sehwan, “still you keep sitting in your offices and homes”.

He warned that the court would stop NHA from collecting toll tax from commuters using the Sukkur-Hyderabad section if repair work was not started there immediately.

He observed that the NHA was making no serious efforts to restore the highway in order to prevent accidents and casualties.

The bench ordered them to get this section repaired at a fast pace, and summoned the NHA chairman and general manage to appear in court on Dec 20 along with the progress report.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2022