A resident of Panchkula has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the construction of the Rs 1,878 crore Zirakpur bypass project. The petitioner has raised serious concerns regarding the environmental impact and legality of the land acquisition process for the ambitious infrastructure project.
Petitioner's Allegations
The petitioner, a local advocate, has alleged that the project was cleared without proper environmental impact assessment and that the land acquisition was carried out in violation of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. He further claimed that the bypass would cause irreparable damage to the ecology of the region, including deforestation and disruption of water bodies.
Project Details
The Zirakpur bypass, a four-lane highway, is intended to ease traffic congestion on the busy Chandigarh-Ambala highway. The project involves the acquisition of over 100 acres of land across multiple villages in Panchkula district. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is the implementing agency.
The petitioner has sought a stay on the construction until the court examines the legality of the project. He has also demanded a fresh environmental impact assessment and public hearings as mandated by law.
The matter is likely to be heard by the high court in the coming weeks. The court may issue notices to the Haryana government, NHAI, and other concerned authorities.
