Chandigarh, April 12: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed all deputy commissioners (DCs) and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) across Punjab to ensure that encumbrance-free land is handed over to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) within set deadlines.
The order came from a Bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Vikas Suri while hearing a plea by the NHAI, represented by senior advocate Chetan Mittal, seeking possession of acquired land for national highway projects.
Mittal informed the court that of the sanctioned 1,288.31 km of highway, 136.67 km remained unavailable due to the state’s failure to provide possession. He added this delay had stalled key projects like the Delhi-Katra Expressway and its spur to the Golden Temple.
The court had earlier summoned the concerned DCs and SSPs after discrepancies emerged between affidavits filed by the NHAI’s regional officer and the Punjab chief secretary, who claimed only 88.39 km was pending. The state blamed farmer protests and resistance by landowners for the delay — an explanation the court found unconvincing.
After recording oral undertakings by the DCs, the court directed that the land be handed over to the NHAI within a defined timeframe to prevent further delays in crucial infrastructure work.
