The Lucknow High Court has taken a stern view on the long-standing delay regarding the construction of a railway underpass on the Deva-Barabanki road. The court has directed the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of North Railway to appear in person on May 8, 2026. This decision follows the failure of the railway authorities to submit a response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that has been pending for nearly nine years.
Why did the Lucknow High Court summon the DRM?
The division bench, consisting of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjiv Shukla, issued the order on April 13, 2026, after reviewing the status of the PIL filed by Shrikant Shukla. The court observed that the railway department had not filed any formal reply to the petition since its filing in 2015. Due to this lack of communication, the court found it necessary to call the DRM to provide an explanation for the delay in addressing the public demand for an underpass at the Deva-Barabanki road crossing.
Key facts regarding the Barabanki underpass case
- Petition Source: A PIL was filed by Shrikant Shukla in 2015 to address traffic issues.
- Project Requirement: The demand is for a railway underpass at the Deva-Barabanki Road crossing.
- Court Bench: Justice Rajan Roy and Justice Manjiv Shukla heard the case.
- Next Hearing: The DRM must be present in the Lucknow court on May 8.
- Department Status: No response has been filed by North Railway in the last nine years.