Noorjahan Begum Alias Nurjahan Begum v. State Of West Bengal And ORS.

18.12.2025 WPA 27123 of 2025 Item No.19 Crt.No.10 A.B.

Noorjahan Begum alias Nurjahan Begum VS.

The State of West Bengal & Ors.

Mr. N. I. Khan Mr. Syed Nasirul Hossain .... For the petitioner.

Mr. Pantu Deb Roy, Ld. AGP Mr. Subrata Guha Biswas .... For the State.

1. Affidavit of service filed in Court today is taken on record.

2. Heard the parties through their respective learned counsels.

3. The petitioner in the instant case is an operator/contract carriage permit holder in respect of Auto Rickshaw being permit no.

PCoP. 004/AR-15/New/2017/18 in respect of vehicle having registration no. WB-11D-7200 for the route AR-15 (Mouri Mill Ghat to Ramrajatala Station Via Puila, Unsani, Garpa, Jagacha, Ramtala and the said permit is valid till 30.01.2028.

4. Main grievance of the petitioner in the instant case is that despite several representations were made before the authority concerned for

conversion of the route permit from AR-15 to AR-2 or AR-3, the authorities are sitting tight over the issue without assigning any reasons whatsoever.

5. Since the representation remained pending for consideration the petitioner further approached the Director, Transport Directorate for taking necessary steps to arrive at a logical conclusion. The same was subsequently considered vide Memo dated 30.3.2023 requesting the Secretary, RTA, Howrah to take necessary action. Thereafter the RTA, Howrah kept the matter pending without taking any decision. Under such pretext, petitioner was compelled to make a further representation for providing a route permit from AR-15 to either AR-2 or AR-3.

6. In the meantime, the transport department Government of West Bengal issued a notification dated 29.2.2024 enhancing the fleet strength of the route AR-2 from 100 to 109 and in the AR-3 from 150 to 160.

7. Being aggrieved by such notification the petitioner made a representation before the Deputy Secretary, Transport department Government of West Bengal and thereafter on

31.1.2025 the Deputy Secretary, Transport department requested the Secretary, RTA, Howrah to re-consider the prayer of the petitioner in accordance with law. Despite a decision taken by the Deputy Secretary the matter was kept in limbo for a considerable period of time by the RTA, Howrah.

8. The petitioner further wrote a reminder letter to the RTA, Howrah to act in terms of the decision taken by the Deputy Secretary on 31.1.2025.

9. Learned counsel appearing for the State respondent submits that a decision has already been taken by the Deputy Secretary, Transport Department, RTA, Howrah to reconsider and dispose of the same in accordance with law.

10. Having heard the parties based on the available records I am of the considered view that since the matter is pending for a considerable period of time I direct the respondent no. 2/RTA Board, Howrah to act in terms of the decision taken by the Deputy Secretary, Transport department within a period of six weeks by considering the representation dated 24.2.2025, Annexure P-

14 at page 47 to the writ petition by passing a reasoned order in accordance with law upon affording an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and other interested parties, if any, and communicate the said decision to the parties within one week thereafter.

11. With the above observations and directions, the writ petition stands disposed of without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case.

12. There will be no order as to costs.

13. Parties shall act on the server copy of this order duly downloaded from the official website of this Court.

(Smita Das De, J.)