New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to file a detailed response for building a highway across a pond in south-west Delhi.
The reply from the ministry came after the tribunal in 2024 took suo motu cognisance of a TOI report. The article pointed out that NHAI built the Urban Extension Road-II over a pond in Goyla Khurd village in Delhi’s South West district. The pond was among the list of over 1,000 ponds meant to be protected.
The tribunal criticised the NHAI, stating that its previous submissions were “vague and cryptic,” while also asking the vice-chairperson of DDA, which owned the land, to be present during the next hearing.
The NHAI had earlier said that it had followed all the rules and put the blame on DDA. The pond was listed with Delhi state’s wetland authority and was supposed to be protected.
“The allegation is that NHAI has built the Urban Extension Road-II over the pond in Goyla Khurd village and the pond is in the list of over thousands protected ponds. Reply by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) affirms the allegation that NHAI has built the highway (flyover) over the pond… and it was handed over by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to the NHAI,” the tribunal said. It further stated that “no reply on behalf of DDA has been filed till now, despite six reminders”.
“In such circumstances, we have no option but to direct the vice-chairman, DDA, to appear virtually on the next date of hearing and assist the tribunal,” NGT said in its April 4 order. The bench of NGT chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava also asked NHAI to file a detailed reply.
“It is also found that respondent no.3 — NHAI — has filed a vague and cryptic reply dated Jan 31, 2025, by taking the stand that acquisition proceedings with respect to the village were carried out by DDA in which respondent no.3 had no role to play and it has complied with the provisions of EIA Notification, 2006. Learned counsel for respondent no.3 — NHAI — submits that a comprehensive reply on behalf of NHAI within four weeks,” the order added. Earlier this month, the environment ministry placed responsibility on the state.
