NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure that the newly constructed Eastern Peripheral Expressway, which is aimed at reducing traffic on Delhi’s roads, is inaugurated on or before May 31.
A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur took exception to the fact that the 135-km expressway, which is meant to provide signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Greater Noida) and Palwal, had not been opened to the public despite the court being informed earlier that it would be inaugurated by April 20. The court made it clear that if the Eastern Peripheral Expressway was not opened on or before May 31, it would be opened for public use as the national capital was already under traffic distress.
During the hearing, the NHAI counsel told the court that the expressway was scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 29, but it could not be done due to his prior commitments.
Seeking time, the counsel representing the Haryana government told the bench that 81 per cent work on the 135-km Western Peripheral Expressway had been done and the work would be completed by June 30 this year.