Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway: HC summons all Punjab DCs and SSPs over land acquisition delay
The court’s summons follows multiple complaints by NHAI officials about encroachments and resistance from landowners despite legal proceedings and compensation payments.
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The directive was issued by a division bench comprising Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Kuldeep Tiwari in response to continued delays in handing over land for the crucial highway project. (File Photo)The Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned all district collectors and senior superintendents of police (SSPs) in Punjab to appear before it on April 4 and submit affidavits detailing the steps taken to ensure that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) receives encumbrance-free land for the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway’s Spur 1.
A division bench of Justices Sureshwar Thakur and Kuldeep Tiwari issued the directive while hearing a plea by NHAI officials over the continued delays in handing over land for the crucial highway project. The court made it clear that any failure to comply would lead to serious consequences.
The court’s summons follows multiple complaints by NHAI officials about encroachments and resistance from landowners despite legal proceedings and compensation payments. The petitioners, represented by Advocates RS Madaan, Mayank Aggarwal, and Mahender Joshi, accused the state administration of failing to act decisively in facilitating the project’s progress.
The Punjab government was defended by Senior Deputy Advocate General Maninder Singh.
The court noted that despite its previous orders, landowners continued to obstruct the handover of land, causing delays in the project. It cited a specific instance involving Yadwinder Singh, a resident of Dhunda village, who refused to vacate a 300-metre stretch of agricultural land. Punjab Police, in a report submitted to the court, confirmed that an FIR had been registered against Yadwinder Singh under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, as well as the National Highways Act, 1956. He was subsequently arrested and sent to judicial custody, after which the disputed land was handed over to NHAI.
Expressing its displeasure over repeated obstacles, the court made it clear that bureaucratic inefficiency and resistance from landowners could not be allowed to stall infrastructure projects of national importance.
“The completion of these projects is critical for economic growth, and unnecessary delays cannot be tolerated. All responsible officials must ensure that land is handed over to NHAI without further obstruction,” the bench observed.
The judges also took on record affidavits submitted by Punjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, Chief Secretary KAP. Sinha, and NHAI regional officer Vipnesh Sharma. However, the court insisted on further accountability from district-level officials, directing them to personally appear and explain the steps taken to comply with the orders.
The bench ordered that on April 4, all DCs, SSPs, and the regional director must appear in court with affidavits documenting their compliance. The ruling specified that “each officer must submit a written statement outlining the measures taken to remove encroachments and deliver possession of land to NHAI. Any failure to do so will invite strict action from this court.”
The Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway Spur 1 is a key infrastructure project aimed at enhancing road connectivity between the national capital and Punjab, as well as providing a direct link to Jammu and Kashmir. However, land acquisition challenges have repeatedly delayed its progress.
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