No solution in sight for disputed stretch on Dwarka Expressway

After a court stayed construction on a 4-km stretch of the Northern Peripheral Road (NPR), the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has been unable to find a solution to the longstanding dispute.

After a court stayed construction on a 4-km stretch of the Northern Peripheral Road (NPR), the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has been unable to find a solution to the longstanding dispute.

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About 500 families have been up in arms against the 18-km-long link road over forced displacement. "We have initiated the process of looking for alternative land or plots for the people who have moved the court. After a solution is agreed upon, we shall invite bids for construction on this stretch," said a senior Huda official.

At present, work is in progress on an 11-km stretch only, out of the total 14 km up for construction. "Of the total 11 km, bituminous work is complete only on 4.5 km," said the contractor. Work on the link road had begun in April 2011 with a March 31, 2012, deadline. However, the civic body was forced to extend the deadline by six months to October.

Also known as the Dwarka expressway, the link road will serve as an alternative link between Delhi and Gurgaon. The disputed stretch falls towards Dwarka.

"The government has to make arrangements for us as per court orders. But we have no idea till date as to what the government has in mind for us," said Rishi Raj Rana, the local councillor.

The court had asked Huda to take the affected people in confidence on alternative plot issue. In recent months, officials have inspected the litigated portion, held three rounds of meetings in Gurgaon and Chandigarh and ruled out the possibility of re-alignment.