BIRAHIMPUR BRIDGE: HC SEEKS REPLY FROM DM

LUCKNOW: Hearing the case related to Birahimpur Gram Sabha Bridge, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday asked the district magistrate, Lucknow to file his reply by January 15.

The plight of people hit by incomplete bridge since 70 years was highlighted by Hindustan Times in its editions of November 13 and 17.

The court had taken suo motu cognizance of the plight of residents of a village and had instructed that the HT report be registered as a PIL petition and both editions of the newspaper shall form part of the record.

It had directed the state counsel to inform it about the steps taken for the construction of a bridge over river Behta to connect Birahimpur village with Malihabad town, 40 kilometres away from Lucknow.

During hearing on Thursday, a division bench of justice Vikram Nath and justice Abdul Moin granted two weeks’ time to the state counsel to file counter affidavit (reply) on an intervener’s application.

As per earlier order of the court, state counsel filed an affidavit of DM saying that Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation was requested to submit an estimate of the bridge which has since been submitted and is now to be considered by the relevant department of the state government for sanction. State counsel sought time to obtain further instructions from the state in the matter.

The court granted two weeks’ time and also accepted an application filed by one Parvan Ansari seeking permission to intervene in to the case. The court provided two weeks’ time to the state counsel to file reply on the application.