Allahabad High Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance of Hamirpur Students School Road Issue

In a proactive judicial intervention, the Allahabad High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of a Dainik Jagaran report that highlighted the ordeal of over 200 schoolchildren from Chandupur village in Hamirpur district. The students and their parents had to walk 5 kilometers to protest the absence of a motorable road leading to their school.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra expressed strong disapproval of the situation, observing that it "cannot be countenanced" that young children have to agitate for a basic facility that falls squarely on the State's shoulders.

The Protest That Sparked Judicial Action

On August 11, 2026, more than 200 Gen Alpha students — accompanied by at least 50 parents — marched to the Collectorate in Hamirpur, carrying the national flag and raising slogans. Their demand was simple: a proper road to their school. The existing unpaved track becomes a muddy hazard during the monsoon, and an alternative route had earlier been closed by the Forest Department.

The Dainik Jagaran report, published the next day, noted that the District Collector cited the Public Works Department (PWD) as the responsible agency. The Executive Engineer of the PWD admitted that approximately 1.5 kilometers of the road was in poor condition, and that work had stalled because the Forest Department had not issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC). A proposal worth ₹1.81 crore was pending, awaiting budget clearance.

Court Flags 'Unacceptable' State of Affairs

The court took exception to the bureaucratic ping-pong that forced children into the streets. In the order dated August 14, 2026, the Bench stated:

"The above status pertaining to the road leading to a children's school in a village wherein the small school going children have to agitate before the District Collector for a work, which is the responsibility of the State, cannot be countenanced ."

The judges also noted that the children's 5‑kilometre walk during the agitation "reflects the magnitude of difficulties being faced by them."

Proceedings and Orders

The court directed the registry to register the matter as a Public Interest Litigation with the title In Re : Road to School, Hamirpur Vs. State of U.P. and others . Notices were issued to:

  • The State of Uttar Pradesh
  • The District Magistrate, Hamirpur
  • The Principal Secretary, Public Works Department, Lucknow
  • The Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Hamirpur
  • The Principal Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department, Lucknow

Additional Advocate General Manish Goyal and Additional Chief Standing Counsel A.K. Goyal were directed to accept notice and to respond — " without any loss of further time " — on the factual situation and the steps being taken to remedy it.

Legal Significance

While no detailed arguments have yet been heard, the suo motu action underscores the constitutional duty of the State to provide basic infrastructure essential for education. The court's intervention sends a clear message that administrative delays, inter-departmental transfers of blame, and the absence of NOCs cannot be allowed to deprive children of their right to safe access to school.

Key Observations From the Judgment

"The children walked for 5 Kms. as part of the said agitation, which reflects the magnitude of difficulties being faced by them."

"The above status pertaining to the road leading to a children's school in a village wherein the small school going children have to agitate before the District Collector for a work, which is the responsibility of the State, cannot be countenanced ."

Next Steps

The matter has been listed for August 24, 2026 , for further hearing. The court will then assess the progress report from the State authorities. The order and the annexure (the newspaper clipping) have been supplied to the law officers for immediate compliance.

This case serves as a reminder that when executive machinery fails, the judiciary stands ready to hold the State accountable — especially when the rights of children are at stake.