HC refuses to stay the construction of 40,000 cr Delhi-Katra Expressway
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, June 5, 2023; In a order that is likely to give push to the ongoing construction of the Delhi-Katra Expressway, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has refused to stay the prestigious project.
A division bench comprising Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Ritu Tagore was hearing a plea filed by Darshan Singh and 126 other petitioners. The residents of 5 Ludhiana villages contended that their houses and other structures were being demolished for the project without any supplementary award being passed.
During the hearing, the counsels representing NHAI, Chetan Mittal and Abhilaksh Gaind, informed the court that the petition is misleading and is contrary to the factual position. NHAI further produced the satellite images of the alignment. It was stated by NHAI counsels that there is one house of Darshan Singh, and the main structure of the house was outside the alignment with only the boundary wall falling in the alignment.
In respect to the boundary wall concerned, supplementary award has been passed by the competent authority and in so far as other structures tube-well, bore-well etc, which are claimed to be existing by the petitioners, a table was provided in Court detailing that some of the petitioners have not even set up their claim qua the said structures, if any and in other cases, award for the structures stands passed in June/August, 2022.
The HC was also informed about the national importance of this project, and the likely positive implications for Punjab and neighbouring states.
After considering detailed arguments of both sides, regarding the interim stay, the High Court clearly refused to entertain any plea for interim stay at this stage to halt the project.
The Bench, in its order, observed “Be that as it may, at this stage arguments were addressed qua interim relief. We do not find any ground whatsoever to grant any interim relief at this stage to scuttle the project, namely ‘Development of Punjab Section of Delhi-Katra Expressway including green field connectivity to Amritsar.’
The 40,000 cr landmark expressway is proposed to be a 669 km, 4 lane access controlled green field expressway. It will reduce the travel time from Delhi to Chandigarh to 2 hours and Delhi to Amritsar to 4 hours. This is being planned in a way that will connect key Sikh religious sites including Shri Harmandir Sahib Amritsar to culminate at the holy shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi in Katra.