LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) has declared the main road passing through Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s Mohammad Ali Jauhar University campus in Rampur a public road and installed signboards at the university’s main gate stating that it is open for public use, according to news agency ANI.The 3-km four-lane cement concrete (CC) road was built by the PWD during the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party government in 2016-17 at a cost of around Rs 17.16 crore.According to officials on Thursday, the road passes through the 450-acre university campus from one end to the other. However, public access has remained blocked since 2019 after the university administration shut the main gate, preventing even PWD officials from entering the campus.PWD Executive Engineer Kishan Veer Singh said the department has now installed boards declaring the stretch as an “Aam Rasta” (public road), making it accessible to everyone.“The four-lane CC (cement concrete) road from the university gate was sanctioned by the PWD in 2016 at a cost of around Rs 16 crore. Civil work worth about Rs 13.5 crore was executed, while the remaining amount included taxes and other components,” Singh told media.He said the department issued notices after the university administration closed the gate in 2019 and restricted movement on the road. The dispute later reached the Allahabad High Court.“After our case was dismissed, we approached the lower court where the decision went in favour of the PWD. The university later obtained a stay order from the high court. Since 2021-22, around 10 to 12 hearings have been listed but no final hearing has taken place,” he said.According to the official, the high court directed the university to deposit 30 per cent of the amount related to damage caused to the road. However, the issue of whether the gate should remain in place or be removed is still pending before the court.Singh said a junior engineer has been assigned to pursue the case in the high court and seek an early hearing.“This is a government road built with public money. It leads to Lalpur Dam and is meant for public use. Therefore, we have installed signboards outside the gate and will also put up two or three more boards inside declaring it a public road so that people can use it freely,” he said.He added that the road is government property, maintained by the PWD, and can be used freely by the public.
