Shifting of Kherki Daula toll plaza likely to see further delay, locals oppose U-turn

The authority had proposed the U turn flyover as a measure to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians on both sides of the Delhi Jaipur highway once the toll plaza is shifted.

The proposed shifting of the Kherki Daula toll plaza to a site near Pachgaon is likely to be further delayed after local villagers rejected a proposal by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to construct a U turn flyover at Pachgaon, officials said on Wednesday.

The union transport ministry had approved the shifting of the Kherki Daula toll plaza in May last year following persistent demands by Gurugram residents (Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

NHAI officials said they held a meeting with villagers last Tuesday, during which the locals insisted that a full flyover be constructed at Pachgaon instead of a U turn flyover. The authority had proposed the U turn flyover as a measure to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians on both sides of the Delhi Jaipur highway once the toll plaza is shifted.

The union transport ministry had approved the shifting of the Kherki Daula toll plaza in May last year following persistent demands by Gurugram residents, particularly those living in developing sectors. However, residents of around 60 villages near Pachgaon opposed the relocation, demanding the construction of a flyover at the site.

After the issue was taken up by Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh, the NHAI agreed to shift the toll plaza further towards Kukdola near Sehrawan, around 13 kilometres from the existing Kherki Daula toll plaza on the Delhi Jaipur highway in May last year. That proposal, however, could not be approved after security forces objected, citing the presence of their camps near the proposed location.

In an attempt to move forward with the Pachgaon site, NHAI officials proposed constructing a U turn flyover at Pachgaon in January last year. “The proposal was discussed in a meeting last month with union minister Rao Inderjit Singh and senior officials after which it was decided that the proposal would be discussed with the locals,” a senior NHAI official said, requesting anonymity.

The official said that the proposal was discussed with villagers, including representatives of the Pachgaon Toll Sangharsh Samiti, in a meeting held last Tuesday, but the locals did not accept it and reiterated their demand for a flyover at Pachgaon. “We have discussed the proposal with locals and working towards finding a solution,” the official cited above said.

Meanwhile, a member of the Pachgaon Toll Sangharsh Samiti, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the villagers had asked the highway authority to construct a 940 square metre flyover at Pachgaon, as promised earlier. “Around 10,000 people including pedestrians cross the highway and building a flyover is the only solution to our problems. We don’t have any problem with the setting up of toll plaza,” he said.