Gurgaon: Homebuyers’ demand Kherki toll removal, completion of NPR project

The delay in completion of the expressway project and relocation of the Kherki toll has hit homebuyers’ plans of getting possession of their dream homes

A sizeable contingent of homebuyers, including women, children and the elderly, held a protest on Saturday demanding relocation of the Kherki Daula Toll plaza and completion of the Dwarka Expressway project.

Homebuyers assembled in Sector 84 on Saturday and marched towards the Kherki Daula toll plaza. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

The homebuyers, under the banner of Dxp Welfare Association, assembled in Sector 84 and staged a peaceful protest before submitting a memorandum to the chief minister through the Kherki Daula Toll management.

Dwarka Expressway, also known as the Northern Peripheral Road (NPR), will connect Dwarka in Delhi to the national highway near the Kherki toll in Gurgaon. Residents and homebuyers have for long been pressing for relocation of the toll point and completion of the expressway, which is billed as one of the key infrastructure projects in Gurgaon.

The delay in shifting the toll and completion of the expressway has affected the homebuyers in terms of taking possession of their dream homes in various residential projects.

The protesting homebuyers held up banners and posters and marched towards the Kherki toll.

“The Dwarka Expressway or the NPR project has been hanging fire over the last seven years. The Haryana urban development authority (Huda) had proposed the expressway project in 2007-’08 to connect Dwarka, near the Delhi airport, to the national highway near Kherki Daula village. However, the project is yet to see the light of day,” Pradip Rahi, general secretary of the association, said.

After reaching the toll point, the protesters formed a human chain so as not to disturb the movement of traffic. Later, a delegation representing the homebuyers handed a memorandum, addressed to the chief minister, to the toll management.

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Amish Tandon, the lawyer representing the association, said, “In February 2017, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a notice to authorities concerned seeking completion of the Dwarka Expressway project in a time-bound manner. However, despite pleading with the authorities to act, there has been no response from them till date.”

The homebuyers alleged that with the NPR project in limbo, basic infrastructure and amenities, including water supply, electricity, sewage disposal and roads, in sectors along the expressway are in a shambles. The government has missed as many as 10 deadlines to finish the project.

The protesters said that with vehicles lining up at the toll for clearance and passage, there are endless snarls on nearby stretches affecting the movement of traffic, especially in New Gurgaon.

Yashesh Yadav, president, Dxp Welfare Association, said, “The delay in completion of the expressway project has hit the homebuyers hard.”