NHAI to build Sonepat toll plaza in 6 months, HC told

CHANDIGARH: Less than two months after Haryana was asked to forthwith take possession of the land acquired for the construction of a toll plaza in Sonepat, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) gave an undertaking in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to set it up within six months.

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 20

Less than two months after Haryana was asked to forthwith take possession of the land acquired for the construction of a toll plaza in Sonepat, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) gave an undertaking in the Punjab and Haryana High Court to set it up within six months.

Taking note of the undertaking, the Bench of Justice Mahesh Grover and Justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu asserted: “We bind the NHAI to the said commitment.” The Bench, on the previous date of hearing, was told that the acquisition process was complete, yet the state authorities had not taken possession.

The case was being pursued by Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation through its secretary-general-cum-advocate ML Sarin. Justice SS Sodhi, former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, is the president of the foundation.

As the case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench observed that a status report by way of an affidavit was filed by Sonepat Deputy Commissioner Vinay Singh, stating that acquired land’s physical possession was handed over to the NHAI on June 3, which was not denied by the counsel representing the authority.

Referring to the previous statement, the counsel told the Bench that they would construct the toll plaza within six months from the date of taking possession.

The developments took place during the hearing of a bunch of petitions by the NHAI against the Union of India and other respondents and another petition filed in public interest by Harish Kumar Puri for streamlining flow of traffic for avoiding accidents.

In his petition, Puri had earlier asked for construction of rumble strips along with traffic signals at crossings. He had stated that his 27-year-old son Ashok Puri died on May 14, 1996, due to complete failure of the signal system.

Sarin and Nitin Sarin had told the court that the petitioner was fighting a legal battle in larger public interest for more than 18 years. His son had passed away and he was suffering from cancer.