Agartala: In a significant judgment, the High Court of Tripura has dismissed a public interest litigation alleging encroachment on a public road in Gomati district, holding that the petitioners suppressed material facts and misled the court.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice M S Ramachandra Rao and Justice Biswajit Palit also directed the restoration of structures that were demolished following an earlier court order and imposed costs on the petitioners.
The court said the petitioners failed to disclose that the road in question passed through the premises of Gomati District Hospital and separated key facilities, including the maternity and child care wing and administrative buildings.
“The petitioners suppressed relevant and material facts… and persuaded this Court to direct demolition of the structures on the subject road, jeopardising public interest,” the bench observed.
The PIL, filed by locals of Tepania, had sought removal of what was described as an illegal obstruction on a road connecting Tepania to Barabhaiya.
The petitioners alleged that hospital authorities had blocked the road in June 2025 by installing iron pillars and tin sheets.
Based on an affidavit filed by the Public Works Department (PWD), the court had earlier ordered the removal of the structures on March 2, 2026. The demolition was carried out on March 10.
However, in a subsequent affidavit, the Chief Secretary informed the court that the road ran through the hospital campus and that its closure was necessary to ensure patient safety and security.
Movement of heavy vehicles was causing disturbances, particularly to women and children, and there were concerns over trespass and theft, the affidavit stated.
The state also submitted that the decision to close the road was taken at a Rogi Kalyan Samiti meeting with the consent of local panchayat authorities, and that an alternative road had been constructed under MGNREGA to maintain connectivity to National Highway-8.
Taking note of these submissions, the court held that the closure of the road was justified in the interest of hospital administration and public safety.
The bench further directed the authorities to reconstruct the demolished structures as they existed prior to March 10 and recover the cost from the petitioners. It imposed costs of ?15,000 each on five petitioners, to be deposited with the Tripura High Court Legal Services Committee within four weeks.
The court also noted lapses on the part of a PWD official for not placing complete facts on record initially and said a show-cause notice had been issued to him.
Advocate Arijit Bhaumik appeared for the petitioners, while Additional Government Advocate Mangal Debbarma represented the state.