By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for widening of roads as part of the Char Dham project. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, agreed with the government’s arguments that wider roads in the area were of strategic importance.
“Border security concerns need to be met and movement of troops and equipment is needed, given serious challenges to national security in the recent past,” the court said adding that the Defence Ministry is a specialised body and can decide its operation requirements.
“Armed forces infrastructure needs have to be met to safeguard borders, and highways that are of strategic importance cannot be treated the same way as those in other hilly terrains,” the court said.
The court also formed an oversight committee to be headed by a former judge of the top court – Justice AK Sikri, which will report to the Supreme Court every four months on the project’s progress will also have representatives from the National Environmental Research Institute and the Ministry of Environment. Its objective is to ensure implementation of existing recommendations.
