Gurugram: Underpass work on Dwarka Expressway in limbo after issues over land

After completing almost 70 percent underpass work on the Dwarka Expressway near Kherki Majra village, construction has come to a standstill.

A local landowner has refused permission to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct approach roads to the underpass as he has not received the compensation for his land.

The 29-kilometre Dwarka Expressway is being constructed in four phases, of which the first two phases are in Delhi and third and fourth phases in Gurugram. The 10,000-crore project will connect Kherki Daula and Mahipalpur in Delhi on the NH-48 and also provide access to the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. Incidentally, the road is among the first in the country to have eight lanes on a single-pier flyover.

A senior NHAI official said that after constructing the underpass, when they started making approach roads, the local villagers stopped the work and claimed the land was owned by one of them and he had not received compensation from the authorities. “A survey of the land was carried out by the contractor and it was revealed that around one and half acre land had not been acquired and it was owned by locals,” he said, on the condition of anonymity.

Following this, the NHAI wrote a letter to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) on January 10, stating that work is getting hindered due to intervention by local villagers and asked the authority to take steps for making the land available for constructing the underpass. “It is requested to take necessary steps for providing possession of aforesaid land so that the NHAI contractor can take up development work of the underpass,” said the letter written by manager (technical) of the NHAI.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Dahiya, who owns the land in question, said that the authorities have not paid him compensation despite a clear order by the Punjab and Haryana high court in his favour. “We have allowed the work to happen till date in public interest but if the compensation is not paid even now, why should we allow the work to happen. Once the project is over, who will pay us 3 crore plus interest, which is the total value of this land,” he said.

Prakhar Sahai, a local activist, said that the delay in paying compensation for land will also delay the completion of the highway project. “This underpass will provide connectivity to residents of Sector 101, 102, 104 and 10A. Already, the project is delayed and the state authorities must act quickly,” he said.

The HSVP officials said that the matter was under consideration and will be resolved soon. “A proposal for purchase of the land for constructing the approach roads on both sides of the Dwarka Expressway has been sent to the headquarters in Chandigarh. The land will be acquired soon and handed over for the construction of the underpass,” said Vikas Dhanda, HSVP estate officer.