Preserve Narkara waterbody with no encroachments: HC to Govt
Srinagar, May 22: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh has directed the authorities to ensure preservation of “Nambal Narkara” in Peer Bagh area on the outskirts of city and maintain the water body properly without any encroachments to take place.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal directed preservation of the water body while closing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) as no other prayer made in the plea, it said, had survived.
“So far as the prayer made by the petitioners for preservation of the large water body, Nambal Narkara by removing encroachments from its edges is concerned, the official respondents( authorities) are directed to ensure that the water body mentioned above is preserved and maintained properly and no encroachment of the same takes place,” the court said.
The PIL filed by the residents of Peerbagh and Hyderpora last year had sought court’s intervention to address the problem of connectivity in the areas Nadirgund-Gulshanabad-Laloosheeshgarhi Bagh-Gangbug by constructing the proposed link road, walkway and cycle track under one project after taking into consideration the actual dimensions of the land and technical feasibility.
It had also sought direction for taking steps for preservation and conservation of “Nambal Narkara” by removing encroachments from its edges and constructing a ring road along its sides.
The main grievance projected by the residents of the area was that there was a proposal for construction of a “cycle track/Walkway” on the top of the bund which is only 6 ½ ft. in width and simultaneously, the Public Works Department had also announced the construction of the link road from Peerbagh to Gangbugugh, the top of the Bund, which is only 6 ½ ft. wide to relieve the pressure of traffic on the Airport Road.
It was not possible to have both link road from the Peerbagh to Gangbugh and “Cycle Track/Walkway” on the top of the Bund which is only 6 ½ ft. wide, the residents said.
While dealing with the plea, the Court observed that an affidavit filed by the Joint Commissioner (Works), Srinagar Municipal Corporation, indicated that the work for the construction of “Cycle Track/Walk-Way” was allotted to M/s Al-Mairaj Construction on June 24, 2024.
But, during the execution of the work the inhabitants of the area did not allow the contractor to proceed ahead with the work. Accordingly, in view of the objection raised by the residents and recommendations of the Executive Engineer concerned, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, the contract was cancelled vide order dated 29.03.2025, the court said.
“As the grievance of the petitioners was mainly in respect of the simultaneous construction of Walkway/Cycle Track as well as link road on the top of the Bund, which was 6 ½ ft wide only and the project for construction of Walkway/Cycle Track has been shelved, no cause survives to the petitioners in respect of construction of “Walkway/Cycle Track”
The Court accordingly closed the proceedings in the PIL leaving the petitioners free to approach the Court again in the event; any fresh cause accrues to them.
