The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday dismissed the last bunch of the pending writ petitions concerning the over-delayed Northern Peripheral Road (NPR) or Gurgaon-Dwarka Expressway, thus paving way for the expeditious construction of the road that provides a major alternative access between Delhi and Gurgaon.
It would also allow the petitioners to construct houses in the planned sectors of the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA).
The 150 m wide NPR is an important 18-km long road provided in the Development Plan of the Gurgaon-Manesar Urban Complex linking Dwarka and South-West Delhi with Gurgaon-Manesar and beyond.
The land for the road was acquired in the year 2008-2009. Though a major portion of the expressway stands constructed, a number of writ petitions were filed by residents of New Palam Vihar challenging the acquisition.
Consequently, 1.3 km stretch of this important road could not be undertaken for construction. In order to facilitate the construction of this important artery and also to provide relief to the petitioners, who had constructed their houses or have plots in the litigation affected area, the State Government framed a settlement proposal to re-settle these persons in Sectors 37C and 110A of Gurgaon.
This settlement was framed after having detailed discussions with the petitioners. The settlement was placed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court and after due consideration, the High Court disposed off number of writ petitions in its earlier order on May 20. Since, some of the petitioners, particularly, near the stretch along National Highway No-8 did not accept the settlement proposals, the High Court granted them time to dwell upon the proposals and had fixed the hearing for May 29.
In view of the fact that these petitioners did not agree to the settlement, these writ petitions were heard on May 29 and after detailed arguments the order was kept reserved. On Friday, the High Court pronounced the orders after dismissing these pending writ petitions.
The litigation had held up about Rs.50,000 crore of investment by property buyers. Now that a settlement between the government and the affected people has been reached, all eyes are on HUDA to complete the remaining portion of the NPR.
Real estate developers and flat owners were delighted by the High Court order as more than 100 private housing projects have come up along the NPR.
