Stay on plot allotment stalls Dwarka Expressway, Huda to go to SC

Huda, having failed to get relief from Punjab and Haryana high court, is now planning to approach Supreme Court to vacate the stay over rehabilitation of oustees of Dwarka expressway, in order to complete work on the road. In March 2017, the high court had stayed the allotment of alternative plots to a group of oustees who had general power of attorney (GPA) and special power of attorney (SPA) for the land on which they had built houses. The stay stopped work on the expressway, along which thousands of people have invested in residential and commercial projects. Since then, completing work on the expressway has emerged as a major challenge for state agencies. The acquisition of land for the expressway was challenged before Punjab and Haryana high court in 2008, by residents of New Palam Vihar whose houses fall in the alignment of the road. After years of litigation, the court, in May 2015, suggested settlement with the petitioner, according to which, Huda would give alternative plots to all those who would lose their houses. As per the HC direction, Huda had to complete the allotment of alternative plots to oustees by March 2016, but it failed to meet the deadline. In the meantime, Huda acquired land in sectors 110A and 37C to rehabilitate oustees. More than 568 oustees — from Chauma, New Palam Vihar, Kherki Daula, etc — applied for alternative plots under the final terms of settlement (FTS). Meanwhile, Huda had identified only 232 oustees as eligible for rehabilitation and, between May-September 2016, handed over allotment letters to 148 of them in Sector 110A and Sector 37C. Few months later, allottees of Sector 110A filed a petition before the HC, challenging the allotment of plots to oustees with GPA/SPA. Thereafter, in March 2017, HC stayed the allotment of alternative plots to GPA and SPA holders, putting a brake on work on the road. After a series of hearings, the matter was referred to a large bench, but Huda failed to get any relief.