The Top Court on Friday directed the Delhi govt to release Rs 1,000 crore out of the Rs 3577 crore due from it as land acquisition cost for construction of Eastern & Western Peripheral Expressways, which have been constructed to de-congest the capital.
The Top court had in 2005 directed construction of Eastern & Western Expressways within 3 years to decongest Delhi’s roads by providing an alternative route to traffic bound for other states. As pollution levels in the capital rose to alarming levels, the court had said that vehicles headed for other states shouldn't enter Delhi. The 2 expressways—each about 135 km long—were planned in 2006 to form a ring road outside Delhi for channelling non-Delhi bound traffic. But the project got delayed & the roads were opened only last year.
The project was launched on an understanding that the Delhi govt will bear 50 percent of the cost of the land acquisition & UP & Haryana will pay 25 percent each. Due to delay in project, cost of land acquisition increased 10 times from Rs 844 crore to Rs 8462 crore & now the state govts are showing reluctance in paying their dues because of resource crunch.
Appearing for the Delhi govt, senior advocate Dhruv Mehta told a bench of Justices Arun Mishra & Deepak Gupta that most of the land was acquired in Uttar Pradesh & Haryana but Delhi is being made to pay 50% which is unreasonable. He said the Centre should also pitch in & provide funds as delay in land acquisition wasn't because of Delhi but the land acquisition authority.
The bench, however, said Delhi would be directly benefited by the expressways as it would reduce pollution in the city & asked how can it wriggle out of it after giving assurance to bear half of the cost. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, told the bench that due amount to be paid by Delhi & Uttar Pradesh are Rs 3577.52 cr & Rs 1218 cr respectively & pleaded the court to direct the states to release the amount.
The court directed Delhi govt to release Rs 1,000 cr for the time being & asked the Union cabinet secretary to convene a meeting within 4 weeks & hold consultations with all 3 govts to work out an amicable solution on funding.
Eastern Expressway provides signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Greater Noida) & Palwal while the Western Expressway connects Kundli to Palwal via Manesar in Haryana.
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