Nagpur: The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday pulled up the public works department (PWD) for failing to file its reply in a PIL over persistent waterlogging in parts of the city following the construction of elevated cement-concrete roads.A division bench of Justices Anil Pansare and Nivedita Mehta expressed displeasure at the department’s continued silence on an intervention application and asked when its response would be placed on record.The court noted that despite earlier directions, the PWD had not filed its reply to assist in addressing grievances raised in the petition by Rajiv Jagtap, president of Janmanch.In previous hearings, the bench had directed the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) to submit a time-bound pre-monsoon action plan. The civic body, in its affidavit, claimed waterlogging would not pose a problem this year and outlined preventive measures.However, the court had flagged these proposals as impractical, casting doubt on their ability to resolve recurring flooding. The PWD’s failure to clarify its position has further raised concerns over coordination among agencies handling urban infrastructure.Appearing for the petitioner, counsel Pervez Mirza stressed the urgency, warning of inconvenience and property damage if corrective steps are delayed ahead of the monsoon. Advocate Gemini Kasat represented the civic body.The bench adjourned the matter to Wednesday, directing all concerned authorities to file their responses.
