Gauhati HC directs Assam govt. to file response on Kamakhya access corridor

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court on Tuesday issued a directive to the Assam Government to submit its response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an order not to proceed with the building of the proposed ‘Maa Kamakhya Temple Access Corridor’ in the state without taking any prior approvals and clearance from the department of archaeology under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958.

According to reports, Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam granted two weeks’ time to the state government to file the response.

D Nath, senior government advocate and D Saikia, assisting advocate general accepted the notice on behalf of the state government.

A devotee Gitika Bhattacharya and 12 others filed the PIL seeking an appropriate writ, order or direction to the respondent(s) to issue a white paper regarding the proposed ‘Maa Kamakhya Temple Access Corridor’ which is to be constructed by the state government’s public works department under the Centre's ‘PM-DevINE’ and ’PRASHAD.’

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Rs. 498 crore Kamakhya corridor project in February and had said the Shakti Peeth Kamakhya will become a gateway of tourism to the Northeast.