Express way to decongest Delhi roads, Rs 621 cr cleared

The Delhi Cabinet has cleared Rs 621 crore for acquiring land for the eastern and western peripheral highways project to de-congest DelhiÂ’s roads by diverting inter-state traffic not destined for the Capital. Land acquisition cost has gone up from an initial Rs 844 crore, estimated in 2007, to almost Rs 2,500 crore.

In a meeting presided over by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Cabinet gave its approval, albeit under protest, to send the money to National Highway Authority of India, the nodal agency for the project. The land acquisition cost has to be shared between Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

While the Delhi government has to pay 50 per cent, the other two states have to share the remaining 50 per cent. Our share has gone up from initial Rs 422 crore to Rs 1,245 crore. We have already paid Rs 624 crore, said a senior Delhi government official. NHAI officials said prices have increased over the years as land owners went in for arbitration and even moved court.

As there is a formula for sharing land acquisition costs among the three states, the governments will contribute their shares. The highways were conceived in 2004-2005 on the insistence of the Supreme Court with an aim to provide an alternate road, especially for inter-state commercial vehicles not destined for Delhi.