Haldwani’s ISBT case was heard in the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, in its interim order, it has ordered to maintain status quo in the matter of construction of Interstate Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Goulapar in Haldwani. The top court has also issued notice to the Uttarakhand government, forest department, regional transport office and the concerned DM and sought their response.
Justice B.R. The bench of Gavai and Sandeep Mehta has given this order considering the appeal filed by Haldwani resident Ravi Shankar Joshi. The bench has issued notice to all the parties and directed them to file their respective replies within four weeks.
In the appeal filed through advocate PB Suresh and others, the petitioner has challenged the order of the Uttarakhand High Court dated August 23, 2023, in which, while rejecting his PIL, it refused to interfere in the decision of the state government to create ISBT. Was.
The petition said that the state government had earlier decided to construct the ISBT in Gaulapar, forest land was selected. Forest land was selected on the basis that no construction other than ISBT could be done on the selected land.
The petitioner said that without giving any reason, the Nainital High Court had rejected my (Ravi Shankar Joshi’s) PIL, accepting the Uttarakhand government’s order to shift Haldwani ISBT from Gaulapar to Teenpani, against which an SLP was filed by me in the Supreme Court. Was. While hearing the said SLP today, the Supreme Court has issued an order to maintain status quo at Haldwani ISBT.
A huge amount of Rs 22 crore 66 lakh will be spent on the work of canal covering for the construction of ISBT in Tinpani. Construction of ISBT at Gaulapar will be sufficient, whereas construction of ISBT at Tinpani will be only for plain areas. For hilly areas, another ISBT will have to be constructed at Kathgodam, which is a misuse of huge government funds. Till date, Uttarakhand government has not been able to tell the reason for shifting ISBT from Gaulapar.