NHAI seeks power connection for Ambience Mall underpass on priority

NHAI officials said that they have applied thrice for the power connection, but it is still pending. After two applications were rejected, the authority has written to the power utility company seeking a power connection for the Ambience Mall underpass at the earliest

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has asked the power utility company to expedite the process of approving power connection for lighting the Sirhaul underpass, which was opened for traffic on October 17 on a trial basis.

At present, the NHAI is using diesel generator sets to power the lights in the U-turn underpass, located near the Ambience Mall.

NHAI officials said that they have applied thrice for the power connection, but it is still pending. After two applications were rejected, the authority has written to the power utility company, Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), seeking a power connection at the earliest.

Officials of the DHBVN said that the first two applications were declined due to lack of documentation and complete information, and that the third application is currently under process and its review will be expedited.

At present, the NHAI is using diesel generator sets to power the lights in the underpass.

The Sirhaul underpass near Ambience Mall helps city residents to avoid going to Rajokri in Delhi to take a U-turn to reach Ambience Mall and DLF Phase-3, which would also reduce congestion at the border. The underpass was scheduled to open on October 15 but it was delayed because of pending work.

In a letter to the DHBVN on October 14, Nirman Jambulkar, project director, NHAI, said, “It is submitted that during the recent site inspection, it was observed that the underpass at above location has been substantially completed and is almost ready for being made operational. However, in the absence electric connection, to be released by DHBVN, the said underpass can’t be put to public use. Considering the importance of the project being monitored at the highest level by central and state government, it is requested that the electricity connection may be released by DHBVN immediately.”

A DHBVN spokesperson, however, said that the application submitted by the NHAI contractor in January was incomplete and the same was intimated through a letter. In the case of the second application, the DHBVN had sought a consent letter from the contractor for setting up a transformer at the site and payment thereof. However, the consent letter was not submitted, as a result of which the application was declined.

“The third application was submitted on October 8 and it is being processed on priority and if the documentation is complete, the connection will be released at the earliest. Since this is a government connection and pertains to infrastructure, the department will ensure it is cleared on priority,” the spokesperson said.