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Assam Highways Act, 1989
Preamble.- An Act to provide for the regulation of road development
and Road transport in State of Assam.
Whereas it is expedient to provide generally for the regulation
of road development and road transport so as secure for the
public such conditions as will ensure the maximum efficiency
of all means of road along roads, in the State of Assam.
It is hereby enacted in the Fortieth year of the Republic
of India as follows, namely:
Act No. XVIII Of 1995
PART I
CHAPTER I: Preliminary
1. Short title, extent and commencement.-
(1) This Act may be called the Assam Highways Act, 1989.
(2) It shall extend to the whole of the State of Assam.
(3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government
may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint.
2. Definitions.- In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant
in the subject or context -
(1) "animal" means any elephant, camel, horse, ass,
mule,
cattle, sheep or goat;
(2) "betterment" when applied to land means the
increase
in the value of any land arising from the execution in
its vicinity of a highway development scheme at public
expense;
(3) "betterment tax" means a tax on owners of land
on the
basis of percentage of the betterment value of the land;
(4) "building line" means a lien on either side
of any
highway or part of a highway, as determined by the
highway authority under S. 12 of this Act;
(5) "competent authority" means the State Government
or
a local authority or any officer of the State Government
or local authority competent to sanction the
construction of or repair to, a highway;
(6) "control line" means a line on either side of
a highway
or part of a highway beyond the building line, as
determined by the highway authority under S. 12 of
this Act;
(7) "driver" means in the case of vehicle the person
in
charge or control of the vehicle for the time being, and
in the case of an animal, any person driving, loading,
riding or otherwise managing or controlling the animal
and the words drive, driving, driven, shall be construct
accordingly.
(8) "encroachment" means occupation of any highway
or
part thereof, an includes -
(a) the erection of a building or any other structure,
balconies, porchies, chajjas or projections on,
over or overhanging the highway land;
(b) occupation of highway land beyond the
prescribed period, if any, for stacking building
materials or goods of any other description fro
exhibiting articles for sale, for erecting poles,
awning, tents, pendals and other similar
erection or for parking vehicles or stabling
domestic animals or for any other purposes, and
(c) excavations or embankment of any sort made or
extended on any highway land;
(9) "highway" means any pubic throughfare, whether
a
road, street, lane, bridlepath or a foot-trade, whether
surfaced or unsurfaced, whether on land owned by the
Sate Government or a local authority or on land
belonging to a private person over which the public
have or have acquired a right of way by usage, and
includes -
(a) the slope, barn, borrow-pits, foot-paths,
pavements and side drains of any such
thoroughfare;
(b) all bridges, culverts, causeways, carriageways or
other road structures, built on or across such
thoroughfares;
(c) the trees, fences, posts and other highway
accessories and materials and material stacks
on the thoroughfare or on land attached to the
thoroughfare but does not include the national
highway as defined under the National Highway
Act, 1956;
(10) "highway authority" means -
(a) for highways maintained by the State Government, the Department
of the State Government responsible for their maintenance
or any other authority specially appointed by the State Government
in this behalf;
(b) for highway maintained by a local authority or
such other authority as may be appointed by the
State Government in this behalf; and
(c) for highways not included in Cls. (a) and (b), the
authority appointed as the "highway authority"
under S. 3 or, if no such appointment has been
made, the State Government itself;
(11) "highway boundaries" means the boundaries
of the
highway whether visibly demarcated or not, within
which contained the areas of land constituting the
highway or land reserved or acquired fro widening the
highway;
(12) "Limited across highway" means a highway access
to
which is permitted only at points specifically provided
or agreed to for the purpose by the highway authority;
(13) "middle of a highway" means in relation to
any
highway for the improvement of which plans have been
prepared by the highway authority, the middle of the
highway as proposed to be improved in accordance
with the plains and where no such plans have been
prepared, the point half-way between the boundaries
of the highway;
(14) "motor" vehicle" means a motor vehicle
as defined in
the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939;
(15) "permit" mean the documents issued by authority
competent to issue it authorizing the use of a vehicle;
(16) "prescribed" means prescribed in this Act,
or by rules
made under this Act.
(17) "public place" means a road, street, way or
other place,
whether a thoroughfare or not, to which the public
have a right of access, and includes any place or stand
at which passengers are picked up or set down by a
public vehicle;
(18) "public vehicle" mean any vehicle used or constructed
or adopted to be used for the carriage of passengers or
goods for hire or reward;
(19) "standard width of highway" means the width
of a
highway between its boundaries as prescribed by the
highway authority under S. 11;
(20) "survey" includes all operation incidental
to the
determination, measurement and record of a boundary
or boundaries or any part of a boundary and includes
a re-survey;
(21) "survey mark" means any mark or object erected,
made, employed or specified by a survey officer to
indicate or determine or assist in determining the
position or level or any point or points;
(22) "survey officer" means any person appointed
to be
survey officer under this Act;
(23) "vehicle" includes the wheeled conveyance drawn.
Propelled or driven by any kind of power including
human, animal, motor, steam or electric power, and
includes any borrow, sledge, plough, drag or like
vehicle.
PART II: HIGHWAY AUTHORITIES - POWERS AND FUNCTIONS
CHAPTER II: Highway authorities
3. Appointment of highway authority.-
(1) The State Government may, by notification in the
official Gazette, appoint any person, either by name or
by virtue of his office, to be the highway authority for
all highways in such part of the State or for such
particular highway or highways in the State and
subject to such conditions and limitations as may be
specified in the notification.
(2) A highway authority so appointed shall exercise and
discharge throughout its jurisdiction powers and
functions specified in the succeeding Chapter subject
to such limitations as may have been imposed by the
notification issued under sub-S. (1).
4. Transfer of control form one highway authority to another.-
(1) The State Government may at any time, by notification
in the official Gazette, transfer control of any highway
form itself or any of its departments functioning as the
highway authority to another highway authority, or
from one highway authority to another, in regard to
such maters dealt with by this Act and on such
conditions as may be specified in the notification.
(2) When a highway authority has been changed in the
manner prescribed under sub-S. (1), the new highway
authority shall, as from the date of the notification
issued under that sub-section, exercise in respect of
the highway or highways of which control has been
transferred, all the powers and functions of the
previous highway subject to the conditions, if any,
specified in that notification.
CHAPTER III: Development and maintenance of highways
5. Power to enter land fro reconnaissance and preliminary
survey in connection with highway scheme.-
(1) The highway authority, or any officer not below the rank
of a supervisor of P.W.D. or Local Board authorised by the
highway authority in this behalf undertake a reconnaissance
survey in connection with the preparation of a highway scheme
and may for this purpose -
(a) enter upon any land alongwith his workmen and
survey and taken measurements and levels on
it;
(b) mark such levels, ding or bore into the sub-soil
and do all other acts necessary to ascertain
whether the land is suitable;
(c) set out the boundaries of the proposed highway
by placing and cutting trenches; and
(d) where otherwise survey cannot be completed
and the levels taken and the boundaries marked, cut down and
clear nay part of a standing crop, fence or jungle;
Provided that no person shall enter into any building or any
enclosed court or garden attached to a dwelling house (unless
with the consent of the occupier thereof previously giving
such occupier at least 48 hours' notice in writing of his
intention to do so.
(2) The highway authority of the authorized official shall,
at the time of such entry, pay or tender payment for all necessary
damages to be done as aforesaid, and in case of dispute as
to the sufficiency of the amount so paid or tendered, shall
at once refer the dispute to the decision of the Collector
or other Chief Revenue Officer of the district, and such decision
shall be final.
6. Preparation of schemes for highway development.-
(1) The highway authority may, of its own accord or if
expressly requested by the competent authority shall,
subject to the other provisions of this Act and subject
to such rules as may be framed by the State
Government for this purpose, prepare and submit to
the competent authority for sanction, a detailed
scheme for the construction of a new highway or the
improvement of or repairs to an existing one.
(2) Such a scheme may provide for -
(a) the acquisition of any land which, in the opinion
of the highway authority, is considered
necessary for its execution;
(b) the laying out or relaying out of all or any of the
lands so acquired;
(c) the diversion of closure of any existing highway
or a section of such highway;
(d) the construction of reconstruction of the
roadway including its widening, levelling,
surfacing, bridging, sewering, draining, water
supply and street lighting arrangement and
planting of roadside trees;
(e) the laying out of foot-paths, cycle tracks and
special traffic lanes for any kind or class of
vehicles, the designing and setting of parking
bays and petrol filling and service stations,
location of advertisement post and bill boards;
and
(f) the lay-out of access roads at suitable distances
connecting the highway or the proposed highway
with the adjoining properties.
7. Power to do certain acts for execution of highway schemes.-When
the competent authority has sanctioned the highway schemes
prepared in pursuance of S. 6 and provided the necessary finances
for its execution, the highway authority shall proceed to
carry out the work and may, for this purpose -
(a) enter into a perform all such contracts on behalf of the
competent authority as may be considered necessary;
(b) make arrangements for the acquisition of the lands
required under the scheme by outright gift or purchase
by agreement with the owner or owners, or failing such
agreement, by resort to the provisions of the Land
Acquisition Act, 1894, as amended from time to time;
(c) turn, divert or close either temporarily or permanently
may existing highway or portion thereof; and
(d) regulate, subject to such rules as may be prescribed in
this behalf, the kind, number and speed of vehicle
using any highway or portion thereof by means of
barrier, diversion roads or other means.
8. Maintenance of highway plans.-
(1) A highway authority shall maintain authoritative plans
for the highways in its charge.
(2) Such plans shall show clearly the boundaries of the
highway, the detailed measurements of roads widths,
the distances between boundary marks and sufficient
measurements from fixed points to enable the
refixation in position of boundary marks in case they
have been displaced or tampered with.
(3) The highway authority shall have all such
authoritative plans prepared after having a survey
made of the highway land and their boundaries in the
manner prescribed in Chapter X and in accordance
with the record of that survey as notified under S. 51
and modified, as may be under S. 52.
9. Demarcation of road boundaries.-
(1) The highway authority shall have the boundaries of the
highways in its charge demarcated with reference to the authoritative
plans maintained by it, by planting stones or other suitable
marks of a durable nature at intervals all along the highway
in such a manner that he imaginary line joining such stones
or mark shows the road boundary correctly.
(2) Where there are bends or links in the road boundary,
the stone or marks shall be located as to give the
correct configuration of the boundary if they are joined
by straight lines.
(3) The boundary stones or marks, which may be given
consecutive numbers, shall be maintained on the
grounds as if they constitute part of the highway.
(4) Whether standard widths have been prescribed for any
highway under S. 11, the distance between the
highway boundaries so demarcated shall correspond
to that width.
10. Annual check road boundaries.-
(1) It shall be the duty of the highway authority to
conduct an annual check of the boundaries of the
highway in its charge with a view to locating
unauthorised encroachments if any.
(2) When the highway authority is satisfied that an
unauthorised encroachment has been made on
highway land, it shall take immediate steps as
prescribed in S. 21 for the removal thereof.
CHAPTER IV: Prevention of Ribbon Development along and control
of access to highways.
11. Standard widths of highways.-
(1) The highway authority may, with the previous
approval of the State Government, prescribe a
standard width for any highway in its charge.
(2) The standard width may be different in different
portions of the same highway according to local needs.
(3) When a highway authority proposes to prescribe a
standard width in respect of an highway or a portion
thereof, it shall notify the proposal in the official
Gazette and invite the objections, if any, to be
submitted to in within 60 days of the date of
publication of the notification.
(4) The notification shall also be published in at least two
newspapers, one of which shall be in the local
language circulating in the locality where the highway
is situated, and in addition, copies of the notification
shall be prominently displayed in a number of places
in the locality.
(5) All objections received with in the prescribed period
shall be taken into account by the highway authority
before finalizing its proposal for submission to the
State Government.
(6) The State Government may reject or sanction the
proposal with or without modification, and shall
publish their orders in the official Gazette.
(7) When the State Government's orders sanctioning the
proposal with or without modification has been issued
the highway authority shall cause further publicity to
be given to the standard width as finally approved, in
the same manner as prescribed in sub-S. (4), and the
records so published shall thereupon be conclusive
proof that the standard width so determined and
recorded therein has been correctly determined and
recorded.
(8) In determining the standard width, the highway
authority and State Government shall take into
account the requirements of public health and welfare,
safety and convenience for all classes of traffic,
including pedestrians and cyclists likely to use the
highway.
(9) The standard width so determined may at any time to
be altered but the procedure for such alteration shall
be the same as prescribed for the determination of the original
standard width.
(10) The highway authority shall, as early as economically
practicable after the prescription of the standard width,
acquire either by direct negotiation or, failing such negotiation,
by compulsory acquisition under the Land Acquisition Act,
1894 as amended from time to time all land lying within the
standard width not already forming part of the highway land.
12. Prescription of building and control lines.-
(1) The highway authority may, with the previous
approval of the State Government, determine a
building line and a control line in respect of any
highway in its charge along with one or both sides of
the highway.
(2) The distance between the middle of a highway and the
building line or that between the building line and the
control line, which shall be fixed with due regard to
the requirements of safety and convenience for traffic
and of public health and welfare, may very in different
portions of the highway according to local conditions.
(3) When a highway authority proposed to determine a
building and a control line in respect of a highway, the
same procedure shall, as far as applicable, be followed as
prescribed under sub-Ss. (3) to (7) of S. 11 for the prescription
of standard width.
(4) The building and control lines as finally determined shall
be demarcated on the ground by distinctive stones or other
suitable marks which may be painted with different colours
and serially numbered.
13. Restriction of building etc. in the areas between the
highway and the building line.-
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for
the time being in force, it shall be unlawful for any person,
except the highway authority or any person working on behalf
of the highway authority -
(a) to construct or lay out any means of access to or
from a highway;
(b) to erect or re-erect any building or materially
after the outside appearance of any existing
building;
(c) to make any excavation; or
(d) to construct, form or lay out any works, upon
land lying nearer to the middle of a highway
than a distance equal to one-half of its standard
width prescribed under S. 11, or upon land laying between
the boundary of a highway and the building line determined
in respect of the highway under S. 12; provided, however,
that these restrictions shall not apply to any works necessary
for the repair, renewal, enlargement or maintenance of any
sewer, drain, electric line pipe, duct or other apparatus,
constructed in or upon the land before the date on which the
restrictions came into force or, with the consent of the highway
authority, on or after that date.
(2) Should any building (including a wall) or any part thereof
lie within the area between the building line and the middle
of a highway, the highway authority may, whenever such building
or part has been either entirely or in greater part taken
down or burnt down or has fallen down, by notice require such
building or part when rebuilt to be set back to the building
line.
14. Registration on buildings etc., between the building and
the control lines.-
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the
time being in force, no person shall erect any building or
structure or make or extend any excavation or construct, form
or lay out any means of access to a highway upon land laying
in between the building and control lines determined in respect
of the highway, except with the previous permission of the
highway authority in writing.
(2) Every person desiring to obtain the permission referred
to in sub-S. (1) shall make an application in writing to the
highway authority in such form and containing such information
in respect of the building, excavation or means of access
to which the application relates, and together with such fees
as may be prescribed.
(3) On receipt of such application, the highway authority
after making such enquiries as it may consider necessary,
shall by order in writing either -
(a) grant the permission, subject to such reasonable conditions,
if any, as may be specified in the order, or
(b) refuse to grant such permission.
(4) The highway authority shall not ordinarily refuse permission
to -
(a) the erection of a building or structure or the making
of or extending an excavation which conforms to the requirements
of public health and welfare and of safety and convenience
of traffic on the adjoining highway; or
(b) the re-erection of a building or structure;
which was in existence on the date on which the restrictions
under sub-S. (1) came into force, unless such re-erection
involved any material alteration to the outside appearance
of the building or structure.
(5) When the highway authority refuses the permission, the
reason therefore shall be recorded and
communicated to the applicant.
(6) In the event of refusal, the applicant may submit fresh
application for permission to the highway authority avoiding
the objectionable features on account of which the first application
was refused and such a fresh application shall be considered
by the highway authority as if it were made for the first
time.
(7) If at the expiration of a period of three months after
an
application has under sub-S. (1) or sub-S. (6) been made to
the highway authority, no order in writing has been passed
by that authority, permission shall be deemed to have been
given without the imposition of any conditions :
Provided that no such automatic grant of permission shall
be presumed if the application is one fro the construction,
formation or laying out of any means of access.
(8) The highway authority shall maintain a register with
sufficient particulars of all permission given or refused
by it under this section and the register shall be
available for inspection free of charge by all persons
interested and such person be entitled to take extract
therefrom.
(9) Any person aggrieved by an order sub-S. (2), granting
permission subject to conditions or refusing
permission, may within 30 days from the date of such
order, prefer an appeal to the State Government whose
order in the matter shall be final.
15. Declaration of limited access to highways.-
(1) The highway authority may, with the written approval
of the State Government, declare a highway or any
portion of it to be a limited access highway.
(2) When a highway authority proposed to make any
declaration under sub-S. (1), the same procedure
shall, as applicable, be followed as prescribed under
sub-Ss. (3) to (7) of S. 11 for the prescription of
standard widths.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to layout a new means
of access to a limited access highway for vehicles or pedestrians,
except with the specific permission of the highway authority.
(4) The procedure for obtaining the permission of the highway
authority for this purpose shall be the same as prescribed
in S. 14, and in the event of refusal of permission the applicant
shall have the right of making a fresh application to the
authority and the right of appeal to the State Government
in the same manner as provided for in that section.
(5) When any highway or part of it has been declared to be
a limited access highway, the highway authority shall within
six months of the final publication of the declaration or
such longer time as may be specially allotted by the State
Government in any individual case, prepare a plan of such
highway or part showing the points on which access shall,
if applied for in accordance with sub-S. (4) be permitted.
(6) A plan so prepared shall b available for inspection by
the public in the office of the highway authority free of
charge at all reasonable times, and copies of it shall be
made available to any member of the public on application
to the highway authority and on payment of such reasonable
cost as may be prescribed.
16. Regulation or diversion of existing rights of access.-
(1) The highway authority may, if it is considered
essential in the interests of safety or convenience of
traffic, regulate or divert any existing right of access to
a highway across land between the control line and the
highway boundary.
(2) Where an existing right of access is diverted, the point
at which alternative access is given to the highway
shall not be unreasonably distant from the existing
point of access.
(3) In the case of existing village tracks and lanes giving
access to a highway at right angles, the alternative
access that may be provided shall as far as possible
have a diagonal approach to the highway.
17. Compensation.-
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for
the time being in force, no person shall be entitled to claim
any compensation fro any injury, damage or loss caused or
alleged to have been caused as a result of-
(a) the restriction imposed against the erection or re-erection
of a building or the making or extending of any excavation
of the laying out of
any means of access on or across land laying in between the
control line and the middle of highway under sub-S. (1) of
S. 13 or sub-S. (1) of S. 14.
(b) the regulation or diversion under S. 16 of the
existing rights of access across lands lying
within the control line and the highway
boundary; and
(c) the refusal of permission to the laying out of new
means of access to a limited access highway
under sub-S. (3) of S. 15 :
Provided that compensation shall be payable by the highway
authority :
(i) where in compliance with the notice served by the highway
authority under sub-S. (2) of S. 13 a building or part thereof
has been set back to the building line of any highway; and
(ii) where permission to erect or re-erect a building in the
area lying in between the central line and building line of
a highway has been finally refused under S. 14.
(2) Where compensation is payable under the proviso to sub-S.
(1), the claimant may, within three months of the date of
notice issued by the highway authority under sub-S (2) of
S. 13 or within three months of the date of final refusal
or permission under S. 14 as the case may be, prefers his
claims for compensation direct to the office to the officer
exercising the powers of the Collector under the Land Acquisition
Act, 1894 as amended from time to time.
(3) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude the
settlement of a claim by mutual agreement.
18. Amount of compensation how determined.-
(1) When a claim is transferred for disposal under sub-S.
(3) of S. 17 to an officer exercising the powers of a
Collector under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 as
amended from time to time, such officer shall make an
award determining the amount of compensation
payable to the claimant.
(2) The amount of compensation warded under sub-S. (1)
shall, in no case exceed the difference between the
market value of the land when permission had been
granted. Sale deed of five consecutive years preceding
the date of publication are taken into consideration in
a comparative statement. Average value of the
comparative statement is considered to be market
value of the land in the vicinity where compensation of
land is to be determined.
(3) No compensation shall be awarded under sub-s. (1) -
(i) unless the claimant satisfies the officer making the award
that proposals for the development of the land, which at the
date of application under sub-S. (2) of S. 14 were immediately
practicable, or would have been practicable on that date if
this Act had not been passed, were prevented or injuriously
affected by the restrictions imposed under this Act and that
there was demand for such development, or
(ii) if and in so far as the land is subject to substantially
similar restrictions in force under some other enactment which
were so in force at the date when the restrictions were imposed
under this Act, or
(iii) if compensation in respect of the same restrictions
in force under this Act or of substantially similar restrictions
in force under any other enactment has already been paid in
respect of the land to the claimant or to any predecessor
in interest of the claimant.
(4) The provisions of Chapter III, IV, V and VII of the Land
Acquisition Act, 1894, shall, so far as may be, apply to
an award made under sub-S. (1) as though it were an
award made under that Act.
CHAPTER V: Prevention of unauthorized occupation of highway
land and removal of encroachments
19. Highway lands to be deemed State Government property.-
All lands forming part of a highway which do not already vest
in the State Government shall, for he purposes of this Chapter,
be deemed to be State Government property.
20. Prevention of unauthorized occupation of highway land.-
(1) No person shall occupy or encroach on highway land
without obtaining the previous permission in writing of
the highway authority or any officer authorized by th
highway authority in this behalf.
(2) The highway authority or the authorized officer may,
with due regard to the safety and convenience of traffic
and subject to such conditions as may be imposed and
rules as may be prescribed by the State Government
and on payment of such rent or other charges as may
be prescribed under such rules, permit any person -
(i) to place movable encroachment on any highway in front
of any building owned by him or make a moveable structure
overhanging the highway,
(ii) to put up a temporary awning or tent, pandal or other
similar erections or a temporary stall or scaffolding on any
highway, or
(iii) to deposit or cause to be deposited building materials,
goods for sale or other articles on any highway, or
(iv) to make a temporary excavation, fro carrying out any
repairs or improvements to adjoining buildings :
Provided that no such permission shall be deemed to be valid
beyond a period of one year unless expressly renewed by the
highway authority or the authorized officer.
(3) The permission so granted shall clearly specific the date
up to which the person is authorized to occupy the highway
land, and purposes for which occupation is authorised and
the exact portion of the highway permitted to be occupation
is authorized and the exact portion of the highway permitted
to be occupied, and shall also be accompanied by a plan or
sketch of that portion of the highway, if necessary.
(4) The person in whose favour, such a permission has
been given shall produce the permit for inspection
whenever called upon to do so by any highway official
and shall at the end of the period prescribed in the
permit release the land occupied by him after resorting
it to the same state as be occupation by him.
(5) The highway authority o the officer issuing the
permission shall maintain a complete record of all
such permissions issued, and shall also cause a
check-up to be made in every case at the expiration of
the period up to which occupation has been
authorised to ensure that the land has actually been
vacated.
21. Removal of encroachment.-
(1) When, as a result of the annual check of highway boundaries
made S. 10 or otherwise, it transpires that an encroachment
has taken place on highway land, the highway authority or
any officer authorized in this behalf shall serve a notice
on the person responsible for the encroachment or his representative
requiring him to remove such encroachment and restore the
land to its original condition before encroachment within
the period specified in the notice.
(2) The notice shall specify the land encroached upon and
the time limit within which such encroachment shall be removed
and shall also state the failure to comply within the prescribed
period shall render the person liable to prosecution and also
to summary eviction.
(3) If the encroachment is not removed by the person or ashis
representative within the time limit prescribed in the notice
and no valid cause is shown by him for non-compliance, the
highway authority or the authorized official may prosecute
him before the appropriate magistrate for his having made
or caused the encroachment and for his failure to remove it
within the prescribed time.
(4) Where the encroachment is petty or of trivial nature,
e.g., exposing articles for sale, opening temporary booths
for vendidg, etc., the highway authority or the authorized
official may with the help of the police if necessary have
it summarily removed without the formality of issuing a notice
required under sub-S. (1), or in lieu of removal of the encroachment
shall have
the opening of executing a lease in favour of the highway
authority for payment of rent for the area encroached upon.
(5) When the encroachment is of a temporary nature and
can easily be removed but is to such as can be
described as petty or trivial within the meaning indicated
in sub-S. (4), the highway authority or the authorized official
may in addition to or in lieu of prosecuting the person responsible
for the encroachment under sub-S. (3) have the encroachment
summarily removed with the assistance of the police, if necessary.
(6) Where the encroachment is of such a nature that its immediate
removal is considered essential in the interest of safety
of traffic on the highway or the safety of traffic on the
highway or the safety of any structure forming part of the
highway and no notice can be served immediately on the person
responsible for the encroachment or his representative under
sub-S. (1)
owing to his absence or for any other reason, the highway
authority or the authorized official may in addition to prosecution
of the person under sub-S. (3) either -
(i) have such protective work as may be feasible at a reasonable
cost carried out so as to minimize the danger to traffic on
the highway, or
(ii) have the encroachment removed with the held of the police,
if necessary.
(7) Where the encroachment is of a permanent nature and has
been in existence for some time but not enough to create a
prescriptive right by advise possession and the person responsible
for the encroachment or his representative has not arranged
for its removal even after he has been prosecuted under sub-S.
(3) and convicted and fresh notice for its removal shall be
served on him by he highway authority or the officer authorized
under sub-S. (1), and in the event of his failure to comply
with that notice also the highway authority or the authorized
official shall institute a second prosecution against him
and simultaneously apply to the magistrate having local jurisdiction
to order the removal of the encroachment and the magistrate
shall thereupon have the encroachment removed.
22. Injunction on eh highway authority to desist form removal
of encroachment.-
(1) Where the person on whom notice to remove an encroachment
has been served under sub-S. (1) of S. 21, lays claim that
the land in respect of which encroachment has been alleged
is his property or that he has acquired a prescriptive right
over it by virtue of adverse possession, he shall within time
limit prescribed in the notice for he removal of the encroachment,
file a suit in a competent civil court and also get an injunction
on the highway authority to desist from taking further action
in the matter till the suit has been disposed of.
(2) When such an injunction has been issued, the highway authority
or the authorized under sub-S. (1) of S. 21 has under the
provisions of the section removed any encroachment or carried
out any protection work in respect of any encroachment the
actual expenditure involved, together with 15 per cent for
overhead charges shall be recovered from the person responsible
for the encroachment in the manner hereinafter provided.
23. Recovery of cost of removal of encroachment.-
(1) Whenever a highway authority or the officer authorized
under sub-S. (1) of S. 21 has under the provisions of the
section removed any encroachment or carried out any protection
work in respect of any encroachment the actual expenditure
involved, together with 15 per cent for overhead charges shall
be recovered form the person responsible for the encroachment
in the
manner hereinafter provided.
(2) A bill representing the actual expenditure and eh overhead
charges, shall be served by the highway authority or the authorized
officer as the case may be on the person responsible for the
encroachment or his representative with a direction to pay
up the total amount within a specified date to the authority
mentioned in the bill.
(3) The bill shall be accompanied by a certificate from the
highway authority or the authorised officer to the effect
that the amount of expenditure indicated in the bill represents
the charges incurred and such a certificate shall be conclusive
proof that the charges had actually been incurred and shall
not be questioned in any civil court.
(4) The material, if any, recovered as a result of the
removal of any encroachment shall be handed over to the person
responsible for the encroachment on payment of the bill by
him but the event of his failure to pay up the bill within
the specified date, the materials may be auctioned and after
deducting the amount of the bill from the proceeds the balance,
if any, shall be made over to him.
(5) If the proceeds of the auction sale do not cover the total
billed amount, the excess over the amount realized by the
sale of materials or if there are not materials to dispose
of and the billed amount has not been paid by the person responsible
for encroachment within the prescribed date, the entire amount
of the bill shall be recovered as arrears of land revenue.
CHAPTER VI: Improvement and maintenance of village roads
24. State Government to direct highway authority to take over
village tracks for development and maintenance.-
(1) The State Government may whenever it deems necessary in
the pubic interest, by notification in the official, Gazette,
direct a highway authority to take over for road construction
or maintenance of any land constituting a village road or
track on which the public have, or have established by long
usage, a permanent right of way, irrespective of whether such
village road or truck has been shown in the settlement records
as
a public way or not and whether the ownership of such land
vests in the State Government or any land lord or a proprietary
body.
(2) Such notification shall be given proper publicity such
as by beating of drums, distributing pamphlets, displaying
on sing-boards, etc. in the locality of the village road or
truck.
(3) All such land taken over by the highway authority as a
result of the notification issued under sub-S. (1) as are
not already deemed to be State Government property, shall
be so deemed for purposes of Chapter V and the provisions
of that Chapter shall apply fully to such land.
25. Highway authority to require proprietor of village road
to repair the road properly where he is under obligation to
do so.-
(1) Whether there is any obligation by law or by customs or
otherwise, or any landlord or proprietary body to maintain
a village road or track on which the public have or have acquired
a permanent right of way and such road or track is not, in
the opinion of any highway authority properly maintained,
that authority may issue a notice to the landlord or the proprietor
to
repair the road or track within such a reasonable time and
in such manner as may be specified in the notice.
(2) If at the end of the specified period the repairs have
not been carried out in the manner specified, and the landlord
or the proprietor has not furnished any satisfactory explanation
for non-compliance, the highway authority may move the State
Government to transfer control of the way authority may move
the State Government to transfer control of the road or truck
to it or to any other highway authority under sub-S. (1) of
S. 24.
(3) The State Government while directing the transfer of control
of such village road or track to any highway authority, may
determine whether any, and if so, what portion of the cost
of repair which the highway authority may incur shall be recovered
from the landlord or the proprietor in discharge of his obligation
to maintain the road or track.
26. Highway authority to acquire reversionary right of proprietors
in village road land.-
(1) Where the control of a village road or track has been
taken over by a highway authority as a result of a notification
issued under sub-S. (1) of S. 24 and the ownership of the
land constituting the road or track vests in a landlord or
proprietary body, the highway authority shall acquire by direct
negotiation or, failing negotiation by resort to the Land
Acquisition Act, 1894, as amended form time to time, the reversionary
right, if any, of the landlord or proprietary body to the
land by paying suitable compensation.
(2) In determining the compensation payable under sub- S.
(1), regard shall be had to the fact that the reversionary
right is very remote.
(3) The amount, if any, payable by the proprietor under sub-s.
(3) of S. 25 may be set off against the compensation payable
to him under sub-S. (1).
PART III: Control of land development in areas adjacent to
highway and levy of Betterment Tax
CHAPTER VII: Control of roadside lands
27. Appointment of Planning Boards fro control of development
in areas adjoining highways.-
(1) The State Government shall, by notification in the official
Gazette, appoint a Planning Board (hereinafter referred to
as the Board) for the control of township development in the
State in areas adjoining highways outside the territorial
jurisdiction of Municipalities, Corporations, City Improvement
Trusts or like Bodies not being District Board :
Provided that the State Government may, if it considers a
single Board to be inadequate for handling the work in the
whole State, appoint more than one such Board, each for a
specified region in the State.
(2) The State Government may, at any time by notification
in the official Gazette, add to or reduce the area of jurisdiction
of a Board.
(3) Board, so appointed, shall be a body corporate and having
perpetual succession and a common seal and shall sue and be
sued by its own name.
28. Constitution of the Planning Board and transaction of
business by it.-
(1) A Board shall consist of such number of members, official
or non-official, being not less than three, as the State Government
may, from time to time, determine by notification in the official
Gazette.
(2) One of the members of the Board shall be a Highway Engineer,
the second Town Planner with knowledge of architecture and
the third with experience in land evaluation.
(3) The Board shall meet and transact business in accordance
with such rules as may be prescribed by the State Government
in this behalf.
(4) Such rules referred to in sub-S. (3), shall also provide
for the appointment for a Chairman from among the technical
members of the Board, the payment of remuneration and travelling
allowance to him and to the other members, and the appointment
of staff for the Board.
(5) If any member of a Board owns, or has any interest in,
land lying in any area the development of which is controlled
by such a Board, he shall maintain regular accounts in accordance
with such rules as may be prescribed by the State Government
in this behalf.
(6) The Board shall b provided by the State Government with
such funds as maybe required for the proper discharge of its
function and shall maintain regular accounts in accordance
with such rules as may be prescribed by the State Government
in this behalf.
28A. Specification of areas where control is to be exercised
over development.-
(1) Whenever a highway authority has reason to believe that
an areas adjacent to a highway outside the territorial limit
of a Municipality, Municipal Corporation or City Improvement
Trust or other like body not being a District Board, is likely
to develop into a building or industrial area and that such
development if left unregulated is likely in course of time
of affect the highway adversely, it shall in writing, request
the State Government to direct if the Board have been appointed
in the State to control the development in that area.
(2) On receipt of such request from a highway authority or
at its own instance, or at the instance of any class of public,
and after making such enquiries as may be reasonable, the
State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette,
direct the Board or the appropriate Board if there is more
than one in the State, to exercise control over development
in such area:
Provided that the State Government may, at its discretion,
direct the adjoining Municipality, City Corporation, City
Improvement Trust or other like body to exercise control over
such area in accordance with the law under which such body
functions within its own limits of jurisdiction.
29. Survey and demarcation of the area and the preparation
of lay-out plan for its development.-
(1) The Board shall, as soon as possible after it has been
notified to exercise control over development in any area,
have a survey made of such area and shall have the boundaries
thereof demarcated with reference to survey.
(2) The boundaries so demarcated shall be notified by the
Board in the official Gazette in such detail as may be necessary
for the proper identification of the area.
(3) Within a year of the date of the notification issued
under sub-S. (2) or such longer period as may be specially
permitted by the State Government in this behalf, the Board
shall prepare a lay-out plan of the area showing the sites
of proposed roads, parks, play-fields, residential localities,
industrial areas, access lanes to the adjacent highway.
(4) The access points to the adjacent highway and the general
lay-out plan shall be fixed n consultation with the highway
authority concerned.
(5) The lay-out plan so prepared shall be deposited by the
Board with the principal Revenue Officer of the district in
which such area is located and also in its own office and
in the office of the highway authority concerned, and the
plan so deposited shall be available fro inspection by the
pubic free of charges at all
reasonable times.
(6) Copies of the plan shall be made available to any interested
member of the public on application to the Board and on payment
of such reasonable cost as may be fixed by the Board.
30. Regulation of development in the area.-
(1) It shall be lawful after a notification has been issued
by the Board under sub-s. (2) of S. 29, to construct of re-construct
an building in the area so notified, or to layout any means
of access in that area towards the adjacent highway without
obtaining the prior permission of the Board.
(2) Every person willing to construct or re-construct any
structure or lay-out any means of access in that area shall
apply to the Board for permission in such form and with such
details and plans and together with such fees, if any, as
may be prescribed by the Board.
(3) The Board shall as soon as possible after the receipt
of an application by order in writing either -
(a) grant the necessary permission, with or without such
reasonable conditions as may be specified in the order, if
the proposal of the applicant is not inconsistent with the
lay-out of the area planned or contemplated, and is otherwise
unobjectionable, or
(b) refuse the permission.
(4) If at the expiration of three months from the date of
application no order in writing has been passed by the Board
permission shall be deemed to have been given without the
imposition of any conditions :
Provided, however, that no such automatic grant of permission
shall be presumed if the application is for the laying-out
of any means of access towards the adjacent highway.
(5) In the event of refusal of permission, the Board shall
communicate to the applicant the defects or the
objectionable features of the proposal responsible for
its rejection.
(6) The applicant may re-submit the proposal to the Board
after removing the defects or objectionable features
and such application shall be disposed of by the Board
under sub-s. (3) as if it were a fresh application.
(7) If in course of execution of any work after obtaining
the permission of the Board the applicant desires to
make any substantial alteration in the approved plan,
a fresh application shall be made to the Board as if the
modified plan constituted as fresh proposal and
pending the disposal of such fresh application by the
Board under sub-S. (3), the construction work shall be
suspended by the applicant.
(8) Any person feeling aggrieved by an order issued by the
Board under sub-S. (3) sanctioning any proposal subject to
conditions or rejecting it, may, within three months of the
date of the order of the Board, prefer an appeal to the State
Government whose order in the matter shall be final.
(9) If any person constructs or re-constructs any
structure or lays out any means of access without
obtaining the permission of the Board, of where
permission of the Board has been obtained, makes, in
course of execution of the work any substantial
deviation from the approved plans the Board may,
without prejudice to any other proceeding which my be
taken against him, have the structure removed or the
means of access closed and recover from him the
expenditure involved, together with 15% departmental
charges, in accordance with the procedure prescribed
under S. 23, in so far as that procedure is applicable.
(10) The Board shall be sole judge of what constitutes
substantial deviation from the approved plan for
purposes of sub-S. (9).
31. Planning Board to acquire land for planned development,
where necessary.-
(1) Where after the issue of a notification under sub-S. (2)
of S. 29, it appears to the Board that the planned development
of the notified area can be secured only by acquiring land
in that area, it may, with the prior consent of the State
Government, acquire entire area or such part of it as may
be considered necessary, either by direct negotiation with
the owner or filling such negotiation, by resort to the provisions
of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894 as amended from time to
time.
(2) Such area, as may be acquired under sub-S. (1), shall
be properly laid out by the Board, the necessary improvement
effected and sites assigned, sold or leased to the public
for a specified period not exceeding 9 years for construction
according to approved plans.
CHAPTER VIII: Levy of betterment tax
32. Planning Board to decide on levy of betterment tax with
the consent of the State Government who shall determine the
rate of levy.-
(1) Where a Board is of the opinion that the value of land
in any area in its charge is likely to increase as a result
of the development at public expense of any area adjoining
a highway, it may, with previous consent of the State Government,
decide to levy a betterment tax in respect of such area :
Provided that where in pursuance of S. 31, the Board has acquired
any area and haws had it properly laid out and sold or leased
to the public not betterment tax shall be levied in respect
of such area.
(2) The State Government, when approached by the Board under
sub-S. (1), for its consent to the levy of betterment tax
in any areas shall, while giving such consent, determine percentage
rate, not exceeding 80% of the betterment value, at which
the tax shall be levied in such area and communicate the same
to the Board.
(3) Where it is decided to levy a betterment tax in respect
of any area, the Board shall cause the decision to be notified
in the official Gazette and shall also secure
further publicity to the notification in the manner
prescribed under sub-S. (4) of S. 11.
(4) The notification shall specify -
(a) exact areas in which the betterment tax is to be
levied;
(b) the date on which the prevailing land value shall
be deemed to be the basic value for purposes of
commuting betterment; and
(c) the percentage rate of betterment tax shall be
levied, as determined by the State Government
under sub-S. (2).
(5) When the development or improvement of the area
adjoining the highway has been completed or, in the opinion
of the Board has reached a stage, sufficiently advanced to
enable the resulting betterment to be
determined, the Board shall notify in the official
Gazette the date on which the execution of the scheme
has been completed or shall be deemed to have been
completed and shall also cause further publicity to such notification
in the manner prescribed under sub-S. (4) of S. 11.
33. Computation of betterment value.-
(1) For land which has already been built upon or on
which permission to build has already been accorded
before the date of notified under sub-S. (5) of S. 32,
betterment value shall be the value on that date less
the basic value as computed with reference to the date
notified under sub-S. (4) of the section less the
estimated cost of improvement work, if any, carried
out by the owner between the two dates.
(2) For land which on the date of notified under sub-S. (5)
of S. 32 has neither been build upon nor in respect of
which permission to build has been accorded before
that date, the betterment value shall be the value on
the date when permission to build is granted less the
basic value as computed with reference to the date
notified under sub-S. (4) of S. 32, less the estimated
value of improvement, if any, carried out by the owner
between the two later dates.
34. Assessment of betterment tax.-
(1) The Board shall, at any time after a month of the publication
of the notification under sub-S. (5) of S. 32, assess the
amount of betterment tax payable by every individual owner
of land, and shall serve a notice on him in writing in thee
prescribed manner, specifying the amount of tax payable by
him the details of calculation, the installments, if any,
which payment may be made, to date or dates on or before which
payment of the full amount of the installment shall be made,
and the authority to whom payment shall be tendered.
(2) Any person on whom a notice for payment of
betterment tax has been served under sub-S. (1) may
within one month from the date of service of such
notice, file and objection before the Board in respect of
the assessment made against him : provided that the
Board shall have discretion to entertain objections
even after the expiry of the period of one month if it is
satisfied that the failure to file such objections in time
was due to cause beyond the control of the objector.
(3) After an opportunity has been given to the objector of
being heard in person or through pleader the Board
may confirm, modify or cancel the assessment made
under sub-S. (1).
(4) Any person aggrieved by the order issued by the Board
under sub-S. (3) may, within two months from the
date of such order, appeal to the appropriate civil
court.
(5) If any person on whom a notice has been served under sub-S.
(1) fails to file any objection under sub-S. (2) the assessment
shall be conclusive and shall be questioned in any court of
law.
35. Betterment tax to be made a charge on his interest in
the land.
(1) The person liable to pay a betterment tax may at his
option instead of making a lump sum payment or
payment by instalment where allowed by the Board,
execute and agreement with the Board or any other
authority specially authorised by the State
Government in this behalf to leave the said liability
outstanding as a charge on his interest in the land
subject to the payment in perpetuity of interest at the
rate of 6% per annum.
(2) A person who has exercised his option under sub-S.
(1) may at any time after giving six months' notice of
his intention so to do, redeem the charge of paying the
assessed amount of betterment tax or such part of it
as may have been outstanding against him at the time
he executed the agreement under sub-S. (1).
36. Arrears of betterment tax to be recovered as arrears of
land revenue.- Arrears of betterment tax shall be realised
in the manner provided for the recovery of arrears of land
revenue.
37. Appropriation of the proceed of betterment tax.- The
proceeds of the betterment tax, levied in any areas shall,
after deduction of the assessment and collection charges,
be made over by the Board to the State Government.
PART IV: Miscellaneous and supplemental provisions
CHAPTER IX: Supplemental provisions to secure safety of traffic
and prevention of damage to highway
38. Prevention of cover structure view or distraction of attention
of persons using any highway.-
(1) Where a highway authority is of opinion that it is necessary
for the prevention of danger arising from obstruction of the
view of distraction of the attention of person using any highway,
specially at any bend or corner of the highway it may serve
a notice upon the owner or occupier of land along side or
at the bend or corner of such highway to alter or remove altogether,
within such time and in such a manner as may be specified
in the notice, the height or character of any existing may
be specified in the notice, the height or character of any
existing wall (not being a wall forming part of a permanent
structure), fence, hedge, tree, advertisement post, bill board
or any other object thereon, so as to eliminate or minimise
the apprehended danger.
(2) If any person upon whom a notice has been served under
sub-S. (1), objects to comply with any requirement of such
notice, he may, within 14 days of its receipt send to the
highway authority his objection in writing stating the grounds
thereof.
(3) The highway authority shall within 14 days of the receipt
of the objection consider the grounds advances and shall,
by order in writing either withdraw the notice or amend confirm
it.
(4) If a person is aggrieved by an order issued by a highway
authority under sub-S. (3) he may prefer an appeal within
7 days of the date of such order to the Collector or Chief
Revenue Officer of the district, whose decision in the matter
shall be final.
(5) If any person fails to comply with the notice served on
him under sub-S. (1) as amended or confirmed, as the case
may be under sub-S. (3) or (4), the highway authority may
take action to alter or remove the object causing obstruction
or distraction of view at its own expense and such expenditure
together with 15% departmental charges, shall be recovered
from such person in accordance with the provisions of S. 23
without prejudice to any other action which may be taken against
him.
39. Highway authority to regulate traffic when highway is
deemed unsafe.- If at any time it appears to a highway authority
that any highway in its charge or any portion thereof is or
has been rendered unsafe for vehicular or pedestrian traffic
by reason of damage or otherwise, it may, subject to such
rules as may be prescribed in this behalf, either close the
highway or the portion of it to all traffic or to any class
of traffic, or regulate the number and speed of vehicle using
the highway.
40. Prohibition of us of heavy vehicle on certain highway.-
Where the highway authority is satisfied that the surface
of any highway, or a portion thereof, or any bridge, culvert
or cause-way built on or across any highway is not designed
to carry vehicles of which the laden weight exceeds of certain
limit, it may, subject to such rules as may be prescribed
in this behalf, prohibit or restrict the plying of such vehicles
on or over such highway or such part of the highway or such
bridge, culvert or cause-way.
41. Power of highway authority to control traffic to be
exercised through the authority appointed under Part V
to control traffic.-
(1) Where, in pursuance of sub-Ss. (c) and (d) of S. 7 or
in exercise of the powers under S. 39 or S. 40 the highway
authority desires temporarily to close any highway or part
of it to traffic or to restrict or regulate traffic thereon
in any manner, it shall in writing request or regulate traffic
thereon in any manner, it shall in writing request the authority
authorized to control traffic under Part V of this Act to
enforce the restrictions in the said manner.
(2) Where such a request has been received from a highway
authority, the authority empowered under Part V to control
traffic shall take all necessary measures to enforce the said
restrictions in accordance with the provisions of that Part.
42. Procedure to be followed when highway authority wished
permanently to close any highway.-
(1) Where, in pursuance of sub-S. (c) of S. 7 or in exercise
of S. 39, a highway authority desires permanently to
close down any highway or part thereof, it shall give
notice of its intention so to do in the official Gazette,
and shall cause further publicity to be given to the
notice in the manner prescribed under sub-S (4) of S.
11.
(2) The notice shall indicate the alternative route, if any,
which is proposed to be provided or which may already
be in existence, and shall also invite objection, if any,
to the proposal to be submitted within such time as
may be specified.
(3) The highway authority shall finalise its proposal to
close down any highway or part of it after considering
the objections, if any, received within the specified
time, and shall submit the final proposal to the State
Government for approval together with such objections
as any have been received against the proposal.
(4) The State Government may either approve the
proposal, with or without modifications, or reject it.
(5) When the State Government has approved the
proposal, it shall published its orders in this official
Gazette.
(6) When the orders of the State Government have
appeared in the official Gazette, the highway authority
shall arrange for further publicity to be given to the
orders in the manner prescribed under sub-S. (4) of S.
11, and the highway or part thereof shall then be
closed.
(7) Whenever any highway or any part thereof has been so
closed reasonable compensation shall be paid to every
person who was entitle otherwise than as a mere
member of the public to use such highway or part as a
means of access to or from his property and has
suffered damage for such closing.
(8) Where an alternative route has been provided or is
already in existence the amount of compensation
payable to any person under sub-S. (7) shall, in no
case exceed the cost of laying a new means of access
from his property to such alternative route.
(9) Were compensation is payable under sub-S. (7), the
claimant shall, within 3 months of the closing of the
highway or part, make to the State Government his
claim for compensation, and such claim shall be
disposed of in accordance with the provisions of sub-S
(1) of S. 18.
43. Consent of highway authority required to do certain act
on highways.-
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other enactment
for the time being in force, no person other than a highway
authority or its authorised agent shall contract or carry
any cable wire, pipe, drain, sewer or channel or any kind
through, across, under on over any highway, except with the
specific consent of the highway authority.
(2) In giving its consent the highway authority may impose
such condition as it may deed to be necessary and may also
impose a rent or other charge for any land forming part of
the highway occupied or applied to the proposed work.
(3) If any person constructs or carries out any work in contravention
of sub. S. (1), the highway authority may arrange for the
removal of such work and restoration of the highway to its
former condition in accordance with the previsions of S. 21
as if the work constituted an encroachment on the highways
and such expense as the highway authority may incur for this
purpose, together with 15% department charges thereon, shall,
without prejudice to any other action that may be taken against
such person, be recovered from him in accordance with the
procedure prescribed under S. 23 in so far as that procedure
is applicable.
44. Prevention and rectification of damage to highway.-
(1) No person shall willfully or negligently cause, or allow
any vehicle or animal in his charge to cause any
damages to any highway.
(2) Where in contravention of sub. S. (1) any damage has
been cause to any highway, the authority shall have
the damage repaired and the expensed involved,
together with 15% departmental charges, shall,
without prejudice to any other action that may be
taken against the person responsible for the
contravention of sub-S. (1), be recovered from him in
accordance with the procedure prescribed under S. 23
in so far as that procedure is applicable.
CHAPTER X: Survey of highway lands and highway boundaries
for preparation authoritative plan
45. State Government to order survey and appoint Survey Officer
when so requested by the highway authority.-
(1) Where in pursuance of sub-S. (3) of S. 8, a highway authority
wished to have a survey made with a view to the preparation
of authoritative plan or plans for any highway in its charge,
it shall request the State Government in writing to order
the survey and appoint a Survey Officer for the purpose.
(2) If, on receipt of such request and after making such further
enquires as may be deemed necessary, the State Government
is satisfied about the need for such survey, it may, by notification
published in the Official Gazette, order that the proposed
survey shall be made and shall simultaneously appoint a Survey
Officer for the purpose.
42. Survey Officer to publish notification.-
(1) When a survey has been ordered under S. 45, the Survey
Officer appointed for the purpose shall publish a notification
in the official Gazette inviting all persons having or claiming
to have any interest on the land adjoining highway or its
boundaries of which the survey has been ordered, to attend
either in person or by agent at a specified place and time
and from time thereafter when called upon for the purpose
of pointing out the boundaries and supplying information in
connection therewith.
(2) The Survey Officer shall cause further publicity to be
given to the notification issued by him under sub-S. (1) in
the manner prescribed in sub-S. (4) of S. 11.
(3) A notification published in accordance with sub-S. (1)
and further published in accordance with sub-S. (2) shall
be held to be valid notice to every person having or claiming
to have any interest in the land or boundaries of which the
survey has been ordered.
47. Survey Officer to give special notice to highway authority
to have representation if necessary.-
(1) The Survey Officer shall give a special notice to the
highway authority concerned intimating the date and time from
which the survey of the highway shall be carried out.
(2) The highway authority shall on receipt of such special
notice take such steps as may be deemed necessary to watch
the survey proceedings and to make representation to the Survey
Officer whenever it has reason to believe that the interests
of the highway are being or likely to be adversely affected.
48. Power of Survey Officer to determine and record
undisputed boundary.-
(1) The Survey Officer shall have power to determine and
record as undisputed any boundary in respect of
which no dispute is brought to this notice.
(2) Notice of every decision of the Survey Officer under
sub-S. (1) shall be given in the prescribed manner to
the registered holders of the land the boundaries of
which may be affected by the decision and also to the
highway authority concerned.
49. Power of Survey Officer to determine and record a
dispute boundary.-
(1) Where a boundary is disputed, the Survey Officer after
making such enquiry as he considers necessary, shall determine
the boundary and record it in accordance with his decision
and shall also record in writing, the reasons for his decision.
(2) Notice of every decision of the Survey Officer under sub-S.
(1) shall be given in the prescribed manner to the parties
to the dispute, to the highway authority and to the other
registered holders of the land the boundaries of which may
be affected by the decision.
50. Appeals against order to the Survey Officer under Ss.
48 and 49.-
(1) The highway authority or any other person affected by
the decision under S. 48 or S. 49 may, within three months
of the date of service of notice under those sections, appeal
to the Collector or the Chief Revenue Officer of the district
and the decision of such Officer shall e recorded in writing
and notice of such decision given in the prescribed manner
to the parties to the appeal. Any modification of the Survey
Officer's decision ordered by the appellate authority shall
be noted in the record prepared under S. 48 or S. 49 as the
case may be.
(2) No appeal preferred after expiry of the said period of
three months shall be admitted :
Provided that the time taken to obtain a copy of the decision
and the map under sub-S. (3) shall not be taken into account
in calculating the said period of three months.
(3) A copy of the order and copy of the map recording the
boundaries as determined under S. 48 or 49 or sub-S.
(1) of this section, shall be furnished to the highway authority
or to any person interested in such order or map, as the case
may be, or the application to the Survey Officer on payment
of such reasonable cost as may be fixed.
51. Completion of demarcation to be notified by the Survey
Officer.-
(1) When the survey of any highway land or its
boundaries which has been notified under S. 45 has been completed
in accordance with the orders passed under S. 48, 49 or 50,
the Survey Officer shall notify the fact in the official Gazette
and shall cause further publicity to be given to the notice
fiction in the manner prescribed under sub-S. (4) of S. 11.
(2) Unless the survey so notified is modified by a decree
of a civil court under the provisions of S. 52, the record
of the survey shall be conclusive proof that the boundaries
and as determined and record therein have been correctly determined
and recorded and shall not be questioned in any court of law.
52. Institution of suit in Civil Court where any person is
aggrieved by determination of boundary.-
(1) The highway authority or any other person deeming itself
or himself aggrieved by the determination of any boundary
under Ss. 48 and 49 or S. 50 may, subject to the provisions
of the Parts II and III of the Indian Limitation Act, 1908
institute a suits in a civil court within a year from the
date of notification under sub-S. (1) of S.51, to set aside
or modify the said determination, and the survey shall, if
necessary, be altered in accordance with the final decree
of the suit, and the alteration, if any, shall be noted in
the record.
(2) The plaintiff in such suit shall joint as parties to it
all persons including the highway authority (where such authority
is not itself the plaintiff) whom he has reason to believe
to be interested in the boundary which is the subject of the
suit.
CHAPTER XI: Power to frame rules for the construction and
maintenance of highways
53. (1) The State Government may make rules.- for the regulation
of construction and maintenance of highway and generally for
carrying into effect the purposes of Parts II to IV of this
Act.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality
of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for or any
of the following matters, namely:
(a) the preparation of schemes for the development
of new or improvement of, or repairs to existing,
highways;
(b) the standards that have to be followed in
determining a standard with any building and
control lines in respect of various types of
highways;
(c) the prevention of obstruction of view or
disruption of attention of person suing such
highways and of annoyance, danger or injury to
the public;
(d) the prevention of obstruction, encroachment and nuisance
on or near, and of damages to such highways;
(e) the proper maintenance of boundary marks demarcating highway
boundaries and building and control lines;
(f) the prescription of various forms of application required
to be made and the forms of notice an the bills required to
be served on persons, the charges to be made for the supply
of copies of plan, etc. and the rent or other charges to e
imposed or levied under the provisions of this Act;
(g) the general guidance of the highway authority and the
Planning Board in the discharge of their functions under this
Act;
(h) the transaction of business by a Planning Board including
appointment of a Chairman, his powers, his remuneration and
travelling allowance, etc. and those of the other officers
of the Board and the appointment of staff or the Board;
(i) the maintenance of accounts by a Planning Board and the
method of audit of such accounts; and
(j) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed.
CHAPTER XII: General and miscellaneous provisions
54. Service of notice, etc.-
(i) Every notice or bill issued or prepared under any section
of this Act shall be served or presented -
(a) by delivering or tendering it or sending it by post
to the person or to whom it is addressed or to
his agent, or
(b) if such a person or his agent is not found, they
by leaving it at his usual or last known place of
abode or by delivering or tendering it to some
adult member of his family or by causing it to be
fixed on some conspicuous part of the building
or land if any to which it relates.
(ii) Where notice under this Act is required to be served
upon an owner or occupier of a building or land, it shall
not be necessary to name the owner or occupier, and the service
thereto shall be effected either -
(a) by delivering or tendering the notice or sending it by
post to the owner or occupier of it if there be more owners
or occupiers than one to any one of them, or
(b) if not such owner or occupier is found, then by giving
or tendering the notice to an adult member or servant of his
family or by causing the notice to be fixed on some conspicuous
part of the building or land to which the same relates, or
(c) whenever the person to whom a notice of bill is to be
served is a minor, service upon his guardian or upon an adult
member or servant of his family shall be service upon the
minor.
54A. Publication and commencement of rules.-
(i) Every power to make rules given by this Act is subject
to the condition of the rules made after previous publication.
(ii) All rules made under this Act shall be published in the
official Gazette, and shall unless some later date is appointed,
come into force on the date of such publication.
55. Delegation of powers by highway authority.- The highway
authority may, after obtaining the approval of the State Government
by notification in the official Gazette, delegate any of its
powers or duties under S. 7 (c), 7 (d), 10, 20, 21, 23, 38,
39, 40, 41, 42 or 43, of this Act to any officer or authority
subordinate to it subject to such conditions, if any, as may
be specified in such notification.
56. Persons deemed to be public servants.- All persons acting
by the authority of the State Government or of any highway
authority or a Planning Board in the carrying out of any of
the provisions of this Act or any of the rules made under
this Act shall be deemed to be public servants within the
meaning of S. 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
57. Protection of persons taking action under this Act.- No
suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against
any person for anything which is in good faith done or intended
to be done under or in pursuance of this Act or any rules
made under this Act.
58. Powers and duties of police in respect of offences and
assistance to highway authorities.- Every police officer shall
forthwith furnish information to the nearest highway authority,
or the nearest officer sub¬ordinate to the highway authority,
or any offence coming to his knowledge which has been committed
against this Act or any rule made under this Act and shall
be bound to assist the highway authority and its officers
and servants in the exercise of their lawful authority.
59. Power of arrest without warrant in case of offence
involving encroachment on or damage to highway.- A police
officer in uniform may arrest without warrant any person who
commits in his view an offence punishable under S. 66 or 67.
60. Duties of village official to report to highway authority.-
Every village headman, village accountant, village watchman
or other village official by whatever name called, shall forthwith
inform the nearest police station or the nearest highway authority
or any officer of the highway authority whenever he becomes
aware that any survey marks showing the building or control
lines determined in respect of a highway has been destroyed,
damaged, removed, displaced or otherwise tampered with or
that any damage to any highway or encroachment on any highway
land has been made.
62. Land acquired by direct negotiation to be subsequently
acquired under Land Acquisition Act, 1894.- Where, in pursuance
of S. 7 (b), 11, (10), 26 (i) or 31 (i), a highway authority
or Planning Board has acquired any land by direct negotiation
with the owner or owners, it shall cause the interests of
any other person or persons in such land to be acquired under
the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, as amended from time to time
so far as that Act may be applicable, to ensure perfect title
thereto.
62-A. Saving as regards land under Central Government control.-
Nothing in Parts II to IV of this Act shall apply to lands
vested in or under the control of Central Government or to
any area falling within the limits of a Cantonment Board,
Major Port Trust or other local authority under the administrative
control of the Central Government.
CHAPTER XIII: Offences, penalties and procedure applicable
to
Parts II to IV
63. General provisions of punishment of offences under
Parts II to IV.- Whoever contravenes any provision of Parts
II to IV of this Act or of any rule made under these Parts
shall, if no other penalty is provided for the offence, be
punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees or it,
having been previously convicted of any offence under this
Act, with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees.
64. Disobedience of orders, obstruction and refusal of information.-
Whoever willfully disobeys any direction lawfully given by
any person or authority empowered under this Act to give such
direction or obstructs any functions that such person or authority
is required under this Act, to discharge, or being required
by or under this Act, to supply any information which he fails
or supplies any information which he knows to be false or
which he does not believe to be true shall, if no other penalty
is provided for the offence be punishable with fine which
may extend to two hundred rupees.
65. Penalty or contravention of restriction relating to construction
or laying out means of access or erecting
any building etc.- Whoever constructs or lays out any means
of access, erects or re-erects any building or structure or
does any other work in contravention of S. 13 (1), 14 (1),
15 (3) or 30 (1), he shall be punishable -
(a) with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees;
(b) with further fine which may extend to one hundred
rupees for each day after the first during which the
offending means of access or structure or work the
offending means of access or structure or work is not
removed, demolished or cleared and the site not
5restored to its original condition.
66. Penalty for unauthorised occupation of highway land.-
Whoever occupies or makes any encroachment on any highway
land in contravention of S. 20 (1), or fails to comply with
the notice served on him by S. 21 (1), for no valid reason,
he shall on conviction be liable to pay -
(a) a fine which may extend to two hundred fifty rupees for
first offence, and in case of second conviction in relation
to the same encroachment -
(b) with further fine which may extend to a lump penalty of
five hundred rupees plus a daily levy not exceeding fifty
rupees for each day that the offence is continued.
67. Penalty for causing damage to highway.- Whoever in contravention
of S. 4 (1) willfully causes or allows any vehicle or animal
in his charge to cause any damage to any highway, shall be
punishable with fine which may extend to one thousands rupees.
68. Power to compound offences.- The highway authority may,
either before or after the institution of the proceedings,
compound an offence against Parts II to IV of this Act or
any rule framed thereunder.
PARTV: Traffic provision
CHAPTER XIV: Control of Traffic
69. Exclusion of motor vehicles from the scope of Part V.-
In this Part unless there is anything repugnant in the subject
or context the terms "Public Vehicles" and "Vehicles"
shall not be construed to include a motor vehicle as defined
in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939.
70. Power to restrict the use of vehicles.- The State Government
or any authority authorised in this behalf by the State Government,
if after consulting the highway authority is satisfied that
it is necessary in the interest of public safety or convenience,
or because of the nature of any road or bridge may, by notification
in the official Gazette, prohibit or restrict, subject to
such exceptions and conditions as may be specified in the
notification, the driving of vehicles or animals either generally
in a specified area or on a specified highway or part of a
highway, and when such prohibition or restriction is
imposed shall cause appropriate traffic signs to be placed
or erected under S. 71 at suitable places :
Provided that where any prohibition or restriction under this
section is to remain in force only for a period of one month
or less notification thereof in the official Gazette shall
not be necessary.
71. Power to erect traffic sign.-
(1) The State Government or any authority authorised in
this behalf by the State Government, may cause or
permit traffic signs to be placed or erected in any
public place for the purpose of bringing to public
notice any prohibition or restrictions imposed under S.
70, or generally for the purpose of regulating traffic
other than motor vehicle traffic.
(2) Traffic signs erected under sub-S. (1) for any purpose
for which provision is made in the First Schedule shall
have the meanings set forth in the First Schedule, but
the authority empowered in this behalf by the State
Government may make or authority the addition to
any sign set forth in the said Schedule on
transcriptions of the words, letters or figures thereon
in the script; provided that the transcriptions shall be
of similar size and colour to the words, letters of
figures set froth in the First Schedule.
(3) Except as provided by sub-S. (1) no traffic sign shall,
after the commencement of this Act, be placed or
erected on or near any highways, but all traffic signs
erected prior to the commencement of this Act, by any
authority completed to do so shall, for the purpose of
this Act, be deemed to be traffic signs erected under
the provisions of sub-S. (1).
(4) Any authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Government may, by notification in the official Gazette,
remove or cause to be removed any sign or
advertisement which is so placed in his opion as to
obscure any traffic sign from view or any sign or
advertisement which is in his opinion so similar in
appearance to a traffic sign as to be misleading.
(5) No person shall willfully remove, alter, deface or in
any
way tamper with any traffic sign placed or erected
under this section.
(6) If any person accidentally causes such damage to
traffic sign as renders it useless for the purpose for
which it is placed and erected under this section, he
shall report the circumstances of the occurrences to a
Police Officer or such authority as may be authorized
in this behalf by the State Government or a police
station as soon as possible and in any case within
twenty four hours of the occurrence.
72. Main roads.- The State Government or any authority authorised
in this behalf by the State Government may, by notification
in the official Gazette, or by the erection at suitable places
of the appropriate traffic sign referred to in Part A of the
First Scheduled, designate certain roads as main roads for
the purpose of the regulations contained in the Second Schedule.
73. Duty to obey traffic signs.-
(1) Every driver of a vehicle or animal shall drive in
conformity with any indication given by a mandatory
traffic sign in conformity with the driving regulations
set forth in the Second Schedule and shall comply
with all directions given by any Police Officer for the
time being engaged in the regulation of traffic in any
public place.
(2) In this section "Mandatory traffic sign" mean
a traffic
sign included in Part A of the First Schedule or any
traffic sign of similar form (that is to say consisting of
or including a circular disc, displaying a device word
or figure and having a red ground or border) or any
prescribed sign painted or marked on the road erected
or displayed for the purpose of regulating traffic other
than motor vehicle traffic under sub-S. (1) of S. 71.
74. Signal and signaling devices.- The driver of a vehicle
shall, on the occasion specified in the Third Schedule, make
the signal specified therein.
75. Leaving vehicle or animal in dangerous position.- No person
in charge of a vehicle or animal shall cause or allow the
vehicle or animal to remain at rest on any highway in such
a position or in such a condition or in such circumstances
as to cause or be likely to cause danger, obstruction or undue
inconvenience to other users of the highway.
76. Towing of person riding cycles.- No drivers of a vehicle
shall tow a person riding a cycle and no person riding a cycle
shall allow himself to be towed by any other vehicle.
77. Leaving vehicle or animal unattended.- No person in charge
of a vehicle or animal shall allow such vehicle or animal
to stand or proceed on a highway unless it is under adequate
control.
78. Duty of driver to stop in certain cases.-
(1) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall cause the vehicle
or animal, as the case may be, to stop and to remain stationary
so long as may reasonably be necessary -
(a) when required to do so by any police officer in uniform
or by the authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Government, or
(b) when the vehicle or animal is involved in the occurrence
of an accident to a person, animal or vehicle or of a damage
to any property, whether the driving of management of the
vehicle or
animal was or was not the cause of the accident or damage,
and he shall give his name and address and the name and address
of the owner of the vehicle or animal or any person affected
by such accident or damage who demands it, provided such person
also furnishes his name and address.
(2) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall, on demand by
a person giving his own name and address and alleging that
the driver has committed an offence punishable under S. 86,
give his name and address to that person.
79. Duty of owner of vehicle or animal to give information.-
The owner of a vehicle or animal the driver of which is accused
of any offence under this at shall, on demand by any police
officer or other authority authorised in this behalf by the
State Government, give all information regarding the name
and address of the driver which is in his possession or could
be reasonable diligence be ascertained by him.
80. Duty of driver in case of accident and injury to person.-
When any person is injured, or damage to property to the extend
of the amount of twenty-five rupees or more is caused as the
result of an accident in which a vehicle is involved, the
driver of the vehicle or other person in-charge of the vehicle
shall -
(a) take all reasonable steps to secure medical
attention for any person so injured and if
necessary, convey him to the nearest hospital
unless the injured person or his guardian, in
case he is a minor, desires otherwise.
(b) give, on demand by a police officer or by any
authority authorised in this behalf by the State
Government, any information required by him or
if not police officer or other authority is present,
report the circumstances of occurrence as soon
as possible and in any case within twenty-four hours of the
occurrence, at the nearest police station, or if he continues
his journey after accident, at the next police station on
or near his route.
81. Power to make rules for control of traffic.-
(i) The State Government may make rules for the purpose of
carrying into effect the provisions of this Chapter.
(ii) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing
power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following
matters :
(a) the removal and sate custody of the vehicles
including their loads which have broken down or
which have been left standing or have been
abandoned on highway :
(b) the use of writing devices;
(c) the determination, maintenance of parking
places for the use of vehicles and animals and
the fees, if any, which may be charged for their
use;
(d) prohibiting the use of footpaths or pavements by
vehicles or animals;
(e) subject to specified condition the segregation to any
specified part of a highway of specified classes and descriptions
of vehicle or animal traffic;
(f) prohibiting or restricting the use of audible signals
at certain times or in certain places;
(g) regulating the loading of vehicles and in particular limiting
the loads carried in relation to the size and nature of tyres
fitted,
(h) a right of way for ambulances and fire bridge vehicles;
(i) prohibiting the use of devices designed to prevent the
rotation of any wheel of a vehicle;
(j) the control of animal likely to frighten other animals
or pedestrians;
(k) the control of children on highways;
(1) prohibiting the riding by more than one person at the
same time of cycles other than cycles designed for the purpose;
(m) prohibiting the riding of more than two cycles abreast;
(n) limiting the age of drivers of vehicles;
(o) the inspection of lads carried on vehicles and animals;
(p) the uses of nose-ropes for animals;
(q) regulating the driving of vehicles and animals at night;
(r) regulating the use of highways by pedestrians;
(s) generally, the prevention of danger, injury or annoyance
to the public or any person, or of danger or injury to property
or of obstruction to traffic;
(t) any other matter which is to be or may by prescribed.
CHAPTER XV: Construction, equipment and maintenance of vehicles
82. Genera provisions regarding construction and maintenance.
Every vehicle used on a highway shall be so constructed and
maintained as to prevent danger or inconvenience to persons
using the vehicle and other road users.
83. Power to make rules.-
(1) The State Government may make rules regulating the
construction, equipment and maintenance of vehicles
used on highways.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing
powers, rules may be made under this section
governing all or any of the following matters either
generally in respect of vehicles or in respect of vehicles
of a particular class or description or in particular
circumstances, namely :
(a) the width, height and length of vehicles;the size, nature
and condition of wheels and
tyres;
(b) tracks;
(c) lamps and reflectors;
(d) warning devices;
(fj the inspection of vehicles by prescribed authorities;
(g) regulating of the particulars exhibited on vehicles and
the manner in which particulars shall be exhibited.
CHAPTER XVI: Control of public vehicle
84. Power to make rules.-
(1) The State Government may make rules for the
regulation of the use of public vehicles.
(2) Without prejudice to the generally of the foregoing
power, rules may be made under this section
governing all or any of the following mattes either
generally or in respect of public vehicles of a particular
class or description or in particular circumstances
namely :
(a) the issue, renewal, modification or cancellation
of permits and the transfer of permits from one
person to another;
(b) the issue, renewal or cancellation of driving
licences;
(c) the issue of duplicate copies in place of permits
and driving licences mutilated, defaced, lost
destroyed;
(d) the preferring of appeals by persons aggrieved by the
refusal of the authority competent to grant or renew a permit
or a driving licence, or to transfer a permit or by cancellation
or modification of a permit or the cancellation of driving
licence, and the hearing and conduct of such appeals;
(e) the documents, plated and marks to be carried by public
vehicles, the manner in which they are to be carried and the
language in which such documents are to be expressed;
(f) the badges and uniforms to be worn by drivers;
(g) the fees to be paid in respect of permits, driving licences,
duplicate copies of permits and driving licences, plate badges
and appeals preferred under this Chapter;
(h) the production of permits and driving licences before
specified officers for purposes of inspection;
(i) the conduct of persons licensed to act as drivers of public
vehicles when acting as such the conduct of passengers in
such vehicles;
(j) the limiting of the number of public vehicles or public
vehicle of any specified class or description for which permits
may be granted in any specified area, or on any specified
route or routes;
(k) the fixing of maximum and minimum fares or freights;
(1) the minimum number of passengers or the maximum quantity
of goods that may be carried in a public vehicle;
(m) the conditions subject to which passengers' luggage or
goods may be carried on by public vehicles;
(n) the construction and fitting of and the equipment to be
carried by pubic vehicles whether generally or in specified
area or on
specified routes;
(o) the safe custody and disposal of property left in public
vehicle;
(p) the conveyance in public vehicles of corpses or person
suffering from infectious or contagious diseases or goods
likely to cause discomfort or injury to passengers and the
inspection and disinfection of such vehicle, if used for such
purposes;
(q) the requirements which shall be complied with in the construction
or use of any stand or halting place including the provisions
of adequate equipment and facilities for the convenience of
all users thereof, the fees, if any, which may be charged
for the use of such facilities, the records which shall be
maintained at such stands or places, the staff to be employed
thereat and the duties and conduct of such staff and generally
for maintaining such stands and places in a serviceable and
clean condition ;
(r) requiring the person in charge of a public vehicle to
carry any person tendering the legal or customary fare;
(s) the inspection of public vehicles including animals used
to drive them;
(t) the records to be maintained and the returns to be furnished
by the owners of public vehicles;
(u) the appointment, terms of appointment, jurisdiction, control
and functions of authorities for the purpose of administering
the provisions of this Chapter;
(v) any other matter which is to be or may be prescribed.
CHAPTER XVII: Offences, penalties and procedure applicable
to Part V
85. General provision for punishment of offences under Part
V.-
Whoever contravenes any provision of Part V of this Act or
of any rule made thereunder shall, if no other penalty is
provided for the offence, be punishable with fine which may
extend to ten rupees, or if having been previously convicted
of any offence under this Act he is again convicted of any
offence under this Part of the Act, with fine which may extend
to fifty rupees.
86. Driving recklessly or dangerously.- Whoever drives a vehicle
or animal on a highway at a speed or in a manner which is
dangerous to the public having regard to all the circumstances
of the case including the nature, conditions and use of the
highway where the vehicle or animal is driven and the amount
of traffic which actually is at the time or might reasonably
be expect to be in the highway, shall be punishable, on conviction
for the first offence with fine which may extend to one hundred
rupees and for a subsequent offence with fine which may extent
to two hundred rupees.
87. Power to arrest without warrant.-
(i) A police officer in uniform or other authority authorised
in this behalf by the State Government may arrest without
warrant -
(a) any person who being required under the
provisions of Part V of this Act to give his name
and address refuses to do so, or gives a name or
address which the police officer or other
authority has reason to believe to be false; or
(b) any person concerned in an offence under Part V
of this Act or reasonably suspected to have been
so concerned, if the police officer or other
authority has reason to believe that he will
abscond or otherwise avoid the service of
summons.
(ii) A police officer or other authority arresting without
warrant the driver of a vehicle or animal shall, the circumstances
so require take or cause to be taken any steps he may consider
proper for the temporary disposal of the vehicle or animal.
88. Summary disposal of cases.-
(1) A court taking cognizance of an offence under this Act
may state upon the summons to be served on the accused person
that he -
(a) may appear by pleader or in person, or
(b) may, by a specified date, prior to the hearing of
the charge, plead guilty to the charge by
registered letter and remit to the court such sum
as the court may specify.
(2) Where an accused person pleads guilty and remits the sum
specified no further proceedings in respect of the offence
shall be taken against him.
89. Repeal and savings.-
(1) The Assam Highways Act, 1928 is hereby repealed.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, any action taken, any
order passed, any notification issued or any
proceedings commenced under the Act so repealed
shall be deemed to have been taken, passed, issued
and commenced under the corresponding provisions of
this Act.
THE FIRST SCHEDULE See Sections 71, 72 and +73
Traffic Sings
This will be reproduction of the Ninth Schedule to the Motor
Vehicles Act, 1939, except as follows :
Part A - Mandatory signs :
Sign No. 1. "Speed limit" and
Sign No. 2. "Weight limit" for the definition plate
marking
"axles over Tones" signs including classes
of traffic to be substituted.
Sing No. 7. "Use of sound signals" prohibited to
be deleted. Part C - Informatory signs :
Sign No. 3. "End of speed limit" to be deleted.
Sign No. 4. "Parking sign" signs indicating particular
classes of traffic to be added.
THE SECOND SCHEDULE See Sections 72 and 73 Driving Regulation
(1) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall drive the vehicle
or
animal as the case may be as close to the left hand side of
the road as may be expedient and shall allow all traffic which
is proceeding in the opposite direction to pass him on his
right hand side.
(2) Except as provided in regulation 3, driver of a vehicle
or
animal when passing shall drive to the right of all traffic
proceedings in the same direction as himself.
(3) The driver of a vehicle or animal when passing may drive
to
the left of a motor vehicle or a vehicle or an animal the
driver
of which having indicated in intention to turn to the right
has drown to the centre of the road :
Provided that in no case shall pass a tram at a time or in
a manner likely to cause danger or inconvenience to other
users of the road.
(4) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall not pass a vehicle
traveling in the same direction as himself, -
(a) if his passing is likely to cause inconvenience or
danger to other traffic proceeding in any direction; or
(b) where a point or corner of a hill or an obstruction of
any kind renders the road ahead not clearly visible.
(5) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall not when being
overtaken or being passed by any class of traffic do anything
in any way to prevent the other traffic from passing him.
(6) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall drive slowly when
approaching a road intersection, a road junction or a road
corner and shall not drive into or cross any such intersection
of junction until he has become aware that he may do so
without endangering the safety of persons thereon.
(7) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall on entering a
road
intersection, if the road, entering is a main road designated
as such, give way to traffic proceeding along that road and
in
any other case gave way to all traffic approaching the
intersection on his hand.
(8) The driver of a vehicle or animal shall -
(a) when turning to the left, drive as close as may be to
the left hand side of the road from which he is making the
turn and of the road which he is entering.
(b) When turning to the right, drive as near as may be to
the centre of the road along which he is travelling and cause
the vehicle or animal to move in such a manner that-
(i) so far as may be practicable it passed beyond, and so
as to leave on the driver's right hand a point formed by the
intersection of the centre lines of the intersecting roads;
and
(ii) it arrives as near as may be at the left hand side of
the road which the driver is entering.
THE THIRD SHEDULE
See Section 74
Signals
(1) When about to turn to the right or to driver to the right
hand
side of the road in order to pass another vehicle or for any
other purpose, horizontal position to his right outside the
vehicle or otherwise so as to be visible from behind.
(2) When the driver of a vehicle wished to indicate to the
driver
of a motor vehicle or a vehicle behind him that he desired
that driver to overtake him, he shall extend his right arm,
or
whip if carried, horizontally to his right outside the vehicle
or
otherwise so as to visible from behind and shall swing the
arm or the whip as the case may be backwards and forwards
in a semi-circle motion.
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