1 CGHC010179902026 2026:CGHC:38062-DB NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPPIL No. 28 of 2026 In the matter of Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation As Per Honble Court Order Dated 08/05/2026 ... Petitioner versus 1 - State of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Public Works Department, Mantralaya, Atal Nagar, Naya Raipur, Civil And Revenue District Raipur Chhattisgarh 2 - Collector, Bilaspur Civil and Revenue District Bilaspur Chhattisgarh 3 - Chief Engineer Public Works Department, Distt. Bilaspur Bilaspur Zone Chhattisgarh 4 - Chief Executive Officer Zila Panchayat, Distt. Bilaspur Chhattisgarh 5 - Chief Executive Officer Janpad Panchayat Kota, District Bilaspur Chhattisgarh ... Respondents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For State/Respondents : Mr. Shashank Thakur, Addl. Advocate General ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal , Judge Order on Board Per Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice 25 . 08 .202 6 1. Heard Mr. Shashank Thakur, learned Additional Advocate General, appearing for the State/respondents. 2. The present Public Interest Litigation has been filed by the petitioner, who is a resident of District Bilaspur, Block Kota, ROHIT KUMAR CHANDRA Digitally signed by ROHIT KUMAR CHANDRA 2 seeking following reliefs : “10.1 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondents to construct an all-weather road connecting villages Parsapani and Bagla Bhata to the Bilaspur-Marwahi bypass road. 10.2 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct construction of a permanent bridge over the seasonal nallah. 10.3 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct preparation and execution of a time bound project plan. 10.4 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct allocation of necessary funds and monitoring. 10.5 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to grant any other relief, as it may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case. 10.6 Cost of the petition.” 3. However, considering the nature of the issued involved and its recurring impact upon a large number of villagers residing in the affected areas, this Court vide order dated 08.05.2026 had taken suo moto cognizance of the same and the petitioner was discharged from appearing in the matter and further, this Court had directed the Secretary, Public Works Department, Government of Chhattisgarh to file his personal affidavit in the matter. 4. Pursuant thereto, an affidavit was filed by the Secretary concerned on 16.06.2026, the relevant portion of the which reads as under : “5. That having considered the said grievance and the repeated representations received from the residents of Village Parsapani and Bangabhata, and in exercise of the powers and functions vested in the Public 3 Works Department for the planning, execution and maintenance of public roads and associated civil works, it has been decided to undertake the construction of an all-weather approach road from Pudu to Bangla Bhata and to provide a box-type culvert (as a permanent and structurally adequate crossing) over the Bagbuda Nallah at Village Pudu, Block Kota. In furtherance of the aforesaid decision and pursuant to applicable procurement procedures and financial sanctions, an e-procurement Notice Inviting Tender bearing No. NIT No. 80/G/2026-27 dated 27/05/2026 has been published calling for tenders from eligible and competent contractors/ firms for the construction of the said road and culvert. The last date for submission of bids is fixed as 16/06/2026 and the bids are scheduled to be opened on 19/06/2026 at 11:00 AM. The estimated cost cost of the proposed work has been computed at Rs. 191.15 lakhs and the period prescribed for completion of the entire scope of work is six (6) months from the date of commencement. A of the aforesaid copy e- procurement Notice Inviting Tender dated 27/05/2026 is annexed hereto and marked as Annexure A/1 for the kind perusal of this Hon'ble Court.” 5. Having regard to the aforesaid statement made in affidavit, this Court vide order dated 16.06.2026 directed the concerned Secretary to file his personal affidavit with respect to the further progress and current status of the tenders floated and to apprise this Court with respect to the commencement of the works and the matter was regularly monitoring by this Court. 6. Today, when the matter is called out for hearing, Mr. Shashank Thakur, learned Additional Advocate General, appearing for the State/ respondent submits that work order for construction work of a Box Type Culvert at Bagbudha Nala Village Pudi block Kota, District Bilaspur with constrution of Pudu to Banglabhatha road 4 has already been issued to M/s Shri Hamumant Constructions, Bilaspur vide order dated 19.08.2026. A copy of the work order has also been annexed as Annexure A/5 along with the affidavit dated 24.08.2026 filed by the Secretary, Department of Public Works, Government of Chhattisgarh. It is further submitted that by the aforesaid work order, for completion of work in question, 06 months time has been given to the said Contractor and in all probability, the same would be completed within the given time. 7. Having considered the reliefs sought in the present Public Interest Litigation, the successive affidavits filed on behalf of the Public Works Department, and the submissions made by the learned Additional Advocate General, this Court finds that pursuant to the directions issued from time to time, the State authorities have taken concrete steps towards redressal of the grievance raised in the petition. The Public Works Department, after considering the representations of the residents of the affected villages, initiated the process for construction of an all-weather approach road from Pudu to Banglabhatha and a permanent box-type culvert over the Bagbudha Nallah at Village Pudu, Block Kota, and thereafter completed the tender process. It has now been brought on record that the work order dated 19.08.2026 has been issued in favour of M/s Shri Hanumant Constructions, Bilaspur, for execution of the aforesaid work, with a stipulated period of six months for completion. Thus, the grievance which led to the filing of the present petition has progressed from the stage of 5 consideration and tendering to the stage of actual execution of the sanctioned work. 8. In view of the aforesaid development and the assurance extended by the learned Additional Advocate General that the work is likely to be completed within the stipulated period, no further adjudication or continuing monitoring of the matter is presently called for. However, considering the public importance of the work and the fact that the same concerns connectivity and safe passage of the residents of the affected villages, the concerned authorities shall ensure that the work is executed strictly in accordance with the sanctioned specifications, within the stipulated period of six months and without any avoidable delay. The competent authority shall also ensure proper supervision and quality control during execution of the road and culvert work. 9. Accordingly, the present Public Interest Litigation stands disposed of, with the aforesaid observations and directions. It is made clear that in the event the work is not completed within the stipulated period or any substantial deviation from the sanctioned work is noticed, it shall be open to the petitioner or any other aggrieved person to avail such remedy as may be available in law. There shall be no order as to costs. Sd/- Sd/- (Ravindra Kumar Agrawal) (Ramesh Sinha) Judge Chief Justice Chandra