Construction on the Badarpur-Faridabad link of the Delhi Metro that began on Wednesday was brought to a halt for a couple of hours, allegedly at the behest of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials.
Officials of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), including Metro chief Mangu Singh, participated at a bhoomi puja close to Mathura Road. The work went on without interruption till 6pm.
However, trouble began when employees of a consulting agency hired by the NHAI and that of Mathura-based M/s Shoba Ram Sharma Contractors arrived at the spot and said work should be halted. They said they were acting on the orders of the NHAI project director, Mathura.
They distributed among mediapersons a letter written by KK Gupta, team leader of a Nagpur-based private consultancy agency. “It has been noticed that the DMRC has started construction of Metro rail on Eastern side of NH2 from Delhi-Haryana border to YMCA Chowk,” the letter said.
“The project director... has intimated that although in principle it has been agreed that construction of metro will be within ROW of NH2, but exact alignment has yet to be decided keeping in view the proposed expansion of the road and allied works like construction of service road and drain,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}“The project director... has intimated that although in principle it has been agreed that construction of metro will be within ROW of NH2, but exact alignment has yet to be decided keeping in view the proposed expansion of the road and allied works like construction of service road and drain,” it added.
{{/usCountry}}“As such, he has given the instruction that no work of the DMRC is to be allowed till the time proper sanction and demarcation of the DMRC route is given by them,” it said.
The letter has been addressed to M/s Shoba Ram Sharma Contractors, Mathura.
DMRC denied having received any notice. “First, we have not received any notice. If we receive it, we will consult the Haryana government and reply accordingly,” DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said. “There is no confusion on alignment of this project as the meeting that cleared it was chaired by the NHAI chairman himself’.
Work reportedly resumed around 8pm after the DMRC assured of sorting out the matter at the earliest.