The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that citizens have a fundamental right to safe, well-maintained and motorable roads under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Hearing a dispute between the Madhya Pradesh government and UMRI Pooph Putappur Tollways Pvt. Ltd., the Court upheld the state’s writ petition against the private contractor.
The Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan held that road maintenance is a public function, even when outsourced, and warned states not to abdicate responsibility. “Public infrastructure isn’t just a contract, it’s a constitutional duty,” the Court said.
The matter has now been directed to the Madhya Pradesh Arbitration Tribunal for further proceedings.
[Umri Pooph Pratappur (Upp) Tollways Pvt. Ltd. V M.P. Road Development Corpo]