UP officials ‘holding up’ Link Road work: PWD

The 3.40-km UP Link Road connects the Noida Mor crossing to the Chilla Regulator. It will connect the NH-24 with Noida Expressway. The PWD needs 25 acres along the 3.40-km stretch. Each day the road carries over a lakh motorists,and is expected to accommodate over 12,000 vehicles an hour in future.

“We do not have a problem in handing over the land to Delhi,but we have a problem in the way they acquired it,” said Executive Engineer Prem Chand. “The Delhi government used the Emergency Act to acquire the land. The Act requires that the owner be convinced about the reason for emergency,in this case they did not even seek our opinion,” he added.

The Delhi government acquired the land on September 29 — the day the UP government approached the High Court. The court,however,dismissed the plea on the ground that the UP government did not have jurisdiction over the land. The UP government filed an appeal at the Supreme Court. The SC,too,has not given a stay order,which the UP government wanted.

According to the PWD engineers,on October 1,when they reached the site for work,senior UP government officials — including the local Sub Divisional Magistrate and senior officials of the Irrigation department — were present. “We had an early morning shocker. They refused to allow us to work,claiming it was their land,” said a senior engineer. The PWD engineers informed the police. Simultaneously,the Mayur Vihar police received a complaint from the UP Irrigation department,which claimed the PWD is trying to encroach upon their land.

Additional Commissioner,East district,Anand Mohan confirmed receiving the complaints. “The next Supreme Court hearing is on October 23,but since there is no stay order,the PWD can continue work,” said an officer.

According to sources,the UP government has its eyes on a plot in Okhla,South Delhi,which belongs to it,but has been earmarked by the Union Urban Development Ministry for the construction of a freight depot. The Delhi government is not so eager in transferring the land,which has led to the dispute.“Mayawati wants the land use to be changed to institutional housing,which is more profitable,” said a senior government official. “It is a Central subject and beyond the Delhi government’s control. But the UP government seems to be counting on the fact that the Congress heads both Central and Delhi governments.”