HC Orders Swift Action on Delayed NHAI Projects

by The_unmuteenglish

Chandigarh, December 20, 2024: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to provide a comprehensive list of unfinished projects in Punjab to the state’s chief secretary within a week.

A bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Kuldeep Tiwari instructed the chief secretary to formulate a plan with relevant officers to ensure encumbrance-free land is delivered to NHAI within two months. The move aims to expedite the completion of key infrastructure projects across Punjab.

The directive came during the resumed hearing of a plea filed by NHAI in August, in which the agency accused state authorities of failing to provide the necessary security to its staff and contractors, as previously ordered by the court in 2023. NHAI claimed the lack of cooperation had significantly delayed its projects of national importance.

To address legal hurdles, the court advised both the NHAI and state authorities to approach judicial forums, including the high court and Supreme Court, to seek expedited hearings and resolve land acquisition disputes, ensuring that court-imposed stays are lifted promptly.

Further instructions included tasking district collectors with regularly reviewing the progress of NHAI-related projects in their respective jurisdictions and resolving issues proactively. The court also directed the director general of police to guarantee prompt police assistance whenever NHAI seeks help with possession-related matters.

Accentuating accountability, the court ordered that if local authorities or police fail to act on NHAI’s requests, the agency may escalate the issue to the chief secretary, who would then initiate action against negligent officials.

The bench deferred the matter to January 31, underlining the urgency to resolve the issues to prevent further delays in infrastructure development.

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