Dealing with a set of petitions challenging acquisition of lands in Bagepalli town, for forming a 100 ft wide State Highway from Bagepalli to Bangarpet, the High Court on Tuesday sought to know the exact factual position.

The Court also sought to know as to whether there could be a change in the proposed width of the road running through Bagepalli town.

The petitions by DN Nanjunda Reddy and several others running shops on either sides of the main road running through Bagepalli town towards Bangarpet, have challenged the land acquisition notification dated Oct 16, 2006.

During its hearing on Tuesday, Justice N Kumar querried Advocate General Uday Holla and sought to know whether any `pick and choose’ rule was being applied. The judge asked : ``Is the road leading out of the town, 100 feet wide ? We cannot see more than 30 feet wide roads even in Kolar town.

Many roads in Bangalore city are also not 100 feet wide. Then, why are the authorities so keen on having a 100 feet road through a small town like Bagepalli when the same would affect well-established shops of several citizens ?’’

While observing that petitioners were ready to surrender lands immediately to the extent of forming a 70 feet wide road, the judge sought to know the exact factual position and as to whether the width could be altered. The case was adjourned by a week.