The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Aditya Mirkhelkar and an Assistant Commissioner of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to appear in person over the continuing traffic and encroachment problems in Dhantoli and Ramdaspeth. A Division Bench of Justice Urmila Joshi-Phalke and Justice Raj Wakode passed the order on Tuesday. The court also directed the two officers to conduct a joint inspection of the affected areas. The inspection will cover traffic movement, parking arrangements, one-way routes and vehicles parked on roads, particularly four-wheelers.

 

The officers have been asked to submit a report before the court on September 1. The directions came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation filed by Dhantoli Nagarik Mandal. The petition concerns encroachments and traffic congestion in Dhantoli and Ramdaspeth. The petitioners' counsel told the court that earlier directions had not been properly implemented. Vehicles continue to be parked in no-parking zones near some hospitals. At the same time, several other areas have not been designated as no-parking zones. The court questioned why effective action had not been taken despite its earlier directions.

 

It then ordered the Traffic DCP and NMC Assistant Commissioner to remain present at the hearing at 2.30 pm on September 1. Notices to hospitals The court was also informed that the NMC had issued show-cause notices to hospitals in Dhantoli in February and March. The notices were issued in connection with alleged illegal constructions. However, some recipients objected to the notices, claiming that they were operating small clinics. During an earlier hearing, the High Court had also questioned whether fines could be imposed on citizens who fail to follow the prescribed regulations. Advocates Ashutosh Dharmadhikari and Ashwin Deshpande appeared for the Dhantoli Citizens' Association. Advocate Gemini Kasat represented the NMC, while Advocate Deepak Thakre appeared for the State.