HC seeks reply on construction of police outposts on roads

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Friday sought reply from the state government, civic authorities and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on the construction of police outposts on roads.

Hearing arguments on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a lawyer ML Yadav, a division bench comprising justices Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Manish Kumar asked the state government to reply on the construction of police outposts on roads in various parts of the state including Lucknow.

The court directed the state counsel to file counter affidavit (reply) within two weeks.

Yadav in his PIL sought the court’s direction to remove all the alleged illegally constructed police check posts and other encroachments, raised over the roads, highways and expressways in the entire Uttar Pradesh. He further sought directions to acquire/require the suitable land for the construction of police check posts under the law. He also requested the court for taking appropriate legal action against the guilty officers and people, who were found responsible for such construction.

The petitioner submitted that in Aminabad, Chowk and other areas of the city and other many places of the state, the police outposts and others had been constructed in the crowded markets and also on roads, highways by the police and other people, always posing a threat to life and also impeding free movement of traffic. Such illegal constructions on roads and also in market places were also causing accidents every day, the petitioner contended, while presenting some media reports in this regard along with the PIL.