SHC issues notice to NHA on petitions against widening of motorway

Petitioners claimed fenced highway threatened their businesses on roadside

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued on Tuesday notices to the National Highway Authority's (NHA) chief and others on identical petitions challenging the design of the motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad without providing turns for the roadside businesses along the 139-kilometre-long six-lane project.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, sought a reply in this regard by December 7. In the meantime, the respondents were restrained from blocking access to the businesses till the next date of hearing.

The bench was hearing multiple petitions filed by the owners of the petrol and CNG stations and restaurants against the federal and provincial authorities.



They argued that the conversion of the existing four-lane Super Highway into a six-lane motorway threatened their livelihoods as after the conversion, the motorway was fenced, leaving no space for them to run their businesses.

The petitioners informed the judges that the motorway had been lined with fences due to which commercial vehicles and personal vehicles had no access to the fuel and CNG filling stations as well as restaurants and other businesses. It was argued that such fencing had deprived a large number of people of their livelihood, which was a violation of the constitutional provisions that guaranteed their right to do business without any hindrance.

The court was pleaded to issue directives to the NHA and other respondents to create necessary passages on the highway, giving the motorists access to the petitioners' businesses so that they could earn their livelihoods smoothly.



After hearing arguments, the bench issued notices to the NHA and others to file their comments by December 7. In the meantime, the respondents were restrained from blocking the access of commuters to the fuel and CNG filling stations, and restaurants till the next date of hearing.