Work on Barapullah Road Phase 3 stayed
NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal on Monday stayed construction on the third phase of the elevated Barapullah Road till it acquired environmental clearance.
Hearing a petition filed by environment activist Manoj Misra regarding indiscriminate construction under the project without any environment goahead, the green court issued notices to various agencies involved.
This included the public works department, the Delhi government, the irrigation department, Delhi Development Authority and the ministry of environment, forests and climate change among others who have been asked to file their responses in the matter.
“We had raised questions on the entire Phase 3 expansion since no environmental clearance was sought for it. If they had taken the clearances, the violations we are seeing now would not have happened as the dos and don’ts would have been laid down at the time of obtaining the clearance,” said Misra.
The third phase of the Barapullah elevated structure aims to connect Sarai Kale Khan and Mayur Vihar and is estimated to cost `1,300 crore. The proposed bridge is 550 metres and will connect Noida and Mayur Vihar to south Delhi.
As per the petition, the third phase of the project will be spread over an area of more than an area of 150,000 square meters and projects of this scale are mandated to obtain the environment clearance as per rules.
The petition said the tender of the project was awarded after the tribunal’s judgment in a similar case had mandated environment clearances.
“This only showcases the negligence and careless attitude of the authorities,” the petition stated.