Seeking divine intervention to ensure completion of the Dwarka Expressway, almost 10 years after it was announced, people who own flats in residential projects along the expressway organised a havan in Sector 111 here on the Delhi-Gurugram border on Sunday.
The peaceful protest was organised by the DXP Welfare Association - an umbrella organisation of associations of flat owners.
The 27-km-long expressway, of which 18 km falls under Haryana while the remaining comes under Delhi, is also known as the Northern Peripheral Road. It has already missed several deadlines since 2007, which led to delays in completion of several residential and commercial projects, besides causing connectivity issues for completed projects.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director Ashok Sharma said that the process to acquire land for the nine-km-long stretch under Delhi has been set rolling and might need six months to complete. “We are also preparing a Detailed Project Report for the stretch under Haryana. Tenders will be floated after the project is physically handed over to us. It might take two to three years for the entire road to be completed,” said Mr. Sharma.
The protesters, which included women and children, gathered at the venue around noon. Armed with placards, they raised slogans against the Central and Haryana governments. ‘If there is a will, there is a way...Where is our Dwarka Expressway’ read one of the placards.
Pradip Rahi, general secretary of the DXP Welfare Association, said: “We received assurances from the Haryana government and the NHAI after a protest at Jantar Mantar in April. But six months later, the ground situation is the same. It has been declared a National Highway, but the NHAI seems to be sleeping over it. The Detailed Project Report is still not prepared.”
Another stumbling block
Yashesh Rao, president of the association, said the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities had harassed the buyers and investors of projects along the Dwarka Expressway to an extent where they had to come together for a havan.
Pleas before court
Though the Punjab and Haryana High Court cleared several petitions on the matter last year, paving the way for early completion of the road, the project hit another stumbling block earlier this month after the court stayed the allotment of alternative plots to people who were displaced.
The court issued orders to this effect while hearing a petition by an oustee challenging the Haryana Urban Development Authority’s denial of benefits on the pretext that his plot had been lying vacant. The court has now fixed a hearing for next month.
An official from the NHAI told The Hindu that the Central government had only given an in-principle nod for the expressway to be granted National Highways status.
He added that a notification was expected only after the ground work was completed.
The expressway
has been declared
a National Highway, but the NHAI
seems to be sleeping over it
Speed breaker
The expressway was proposed to improve connectivity between Dwarka and Gurugram, reduce the burden on NH-8
More than 106 projects are underway, offering over 90,000 residential units at an investment of Rs. 50,000 crore
In 2007, the Haryana government announced the Dwarka Expressway. Initial deadline was to complete it before the 2010 Commonwealth Games
In 2008, land acquisition began. More than 500 residents of New Palam Vihar, Kherki Dhaula and others areas of Gurugram moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court
During 2009-10, hearings began in the court
In 2011, the contract was awarded to JSR Constructions Private Limited and Indiabulls Construction Limited. Fresh deadline of March 2012 was announced
During 2012-14, hearings continued on 13 petitions filed by affected residents. Construction on a stretch of over 14-km was completed
In 2015, the court dismissed 11 out of 13 petitions and vacated stay on construction along a 2.5-km stretch. HUDA was asked to offer alternate plots and construction cost to more than 700 families within six months. Draw-of-lots cancelled two twice in September
In 2016, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari announced National Highway status. HUDA conducted draw-of-lots to allot plots.
Stay ordered on allotment after residents approached the Court
According to NHAI, the process to acquire land for the stretch under Delhi has been set rolling
