NHAI yet to resume work on UER-II project amid DPCC’s closure notice

In November last year, the DPCC issued challans of ₹2.5 crore to NHAI on its UER-II project ( ₹50 lakh on each of the five packages) for “violation of dust control norms.”

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is unable to restart work on its Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) project as the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) is yet to revoke the closure notice, officials said on Monday.

NHAI said they have again written to the DPCC to expedite the process allowing the authority to start the work (Representative Photo)

NHAI said the work is still on hold even after the matter was discussed at a high-level meeting between union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari and Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena in December last year

NHAI said they have again written to the DPCC to expedite the process allowing the authority to start the work.

In November last year, the DPCC issued challans of ₹2.5 crore to NHAI on its UER-II project ( ₹50 lakh on each of the five packages) for “violation of dust control norms.”

It also argued that the penalty of ₹2.5 crore is “very high.”

“We also raised the issue in the meeting between LG and the union minister in December last year saying the compensation amount is very high and this is when there was no ban on construction,” an NHAI official said.

“We have submitted the compliance report as desired by the DPCC and requested that the challan be waived-off. However, no decision was taken till now due to which we can start work on four other packages,” the official added.

A senior DPCC official, on condition of anonymity, said, “NHAI is yet to submit an undertaking that the environment damage charges will be paid.”

The 76 km UER-II project is aimed at decongesting the city and providing seamless access between north, and northwest Delhi and Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and Gurugram.

The ₹7700 crore project, proposed in Delhi’s 2021 ‘master plan’, once completed, will connect four national highways (NH-1, 10, 8 and 2). Of the total 75.71 km, 50% [43 km (approx)] is being constructed in Delhi.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA), which planned the initial project, couldn’t implement it due to land acquisition-related issues mainly in Khanjhawla, Najafgarh and other rural villages.

According to NHAI officials, the access-controlled corridor will start from NH-1 near Mukarba intersection, cross NH-10, Rohini, Dwarka, NH-8 near Rajokri and end on NH-2, as per DDA’s initial plan. Later, NHAI added two highways towards Sonipat and Bahadurgarh.