NHAI to expedite work after Supreme Court nod

Shimla, September 30

The construction work, undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India, will be expedited as it will be granted permission for forest clearance after stage 1 approval.

In March 2019, it was decided that the forest clearance in Himachal Pradesh should be subject to the permission of the Supreme Court.

The NHAI filed an application in the court and requested exemption from seeking its permission and pleaded that the permission be granted to the NHAI after the Stage-1 approval after depositing the money for the development of the state.

The SC’s judgment on September 23 has permitted the application of the NHAI and the Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh, wide letter dated September 29 directed the Principal Secretary, Forest, to implement the judgment, said Regional Officer, NHAI, Abdul Basit.

The judgment would speed up the ongoing construction works on 10 stretches across the state, he added.