NHAI moves Police Chiefs of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure protection for Eastern Peripheral Works as directed by Supreme Court

Hon’ble Supreme Court of India had fixed the deadline for completion of Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) by July, 2018. However, following obstructions from vested interests in Districts Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh and Sonepat in Haryana, construction work in these Districts was obstructed and could not commence, even though land had formally been acquired and contractors appointed from amongst the best companies of the country.

In order to expedite the construction work and to apprise the Hon’ble Supreme Court of the difficulties, NHAI had moved the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India with an interlocutory application seeking police protection from unwarranted obstruction from miscreants and vested interests.

The Solicitor General of India had represented NHAI before the Supreme Court. Hon’ble Supreme Court vide order dated 31.3.2016 has directed the Director Generals of Police of States of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to ensure all requisite protection to NHAI officials and contractors, etc. to carry out their duty to construct the EPE.

In pursuance to the order dated 31.03.2016 of Hon’ble Supreme Court, NHAI has now addressed the Police Chiefs of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to necessarily provide security to NHAI officials and contractors in the districts of Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh and Sonepat in Haryana to remove possible obstruction in construction.

NHAI has also provided a list of specific points where the obstruction has been most perceptible.

This directive of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is expected to facilitate speeding up of the construction work in view of the huge mobilization of resources undertaken by contractors for all the 6 packages into which the project is divided