Land Dispute Stalls Critical Ramp on New Delhi-Dehradun Expressway
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Delhi-Saharanpur-Dehradun Economic Corridor in Dehradun on Tuesday, promising to slash travel time between the capital and the hill city from four to six hours down to a mere two-and-a-half hours. However, on the Delhi side, a protracted legal battle over a 1,600 square meter plot in Loni's Mandola area is obstructing the completion of a vital stretch and ramp, undermining the corridor's full potential.
The Disputed Plot at the Heart of the Issue
The contested land, which includes a two-storey house covering 561 square meters, lies directly in the path of a 16-kilometer elevated section between UP Gate in Loni and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway at Khekra. This is precisely where the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had planned to construct a ramp to provide local connectivity to Mandola and Loni on the otherwise access-controlled corridor. A signboard behind a crash barrier overlooking the property starkly declares, "The matter is sub judice in the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court."
Historical Roots of the Legal Conflict
The dispute traces back to 1998 when the UP Housing Board acquired 2,614 acres from farmers across six villages for its Mandola Vihar Housing Scheme, offering compensation at Rs 1,100 per square meter. While over 94% of the approximately 1,000 affected farmers accepted the terms, Veersen Saroha was among the few who refused, demanding enhanced compensation and filing a case in the Allahabad High Court in 2007. Unable to resolve the issue, the UP Housing Board delineated Saroha's land in its 214th board meeting in 2010.
When the corridor project was announced in 2020, the UP Housing Board permitted NHAI to proceed with the land despite the ongoing litigation. The situation grew more complex in November 2017 when the highway through Mandola was designated as National Highway 709B. The case has since been transferred to the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court, with the last hearing held on March 26 this year before the bench was dissolved. NHAI's counsel indicated that the matter will only resume once a new bench is constituted.
Human Impact and Safety Concerns
Veersen's daughter-in-law, Puja Saroha, expressed a willingness to resolve the impasse, stating, "In the larger interest, we want to get out of this, and now that the expressway has opened, it has become all the more necessary. All we want is fair compensation, and for that we are fighting the case."
On the ground, the absence of the ramp has already led to serious consequences. Jaipal, a 46-year-old guard posted at the house since November 2022, reported that the uneven gradient has made the stretch accident-prone. "Due to the uneven gradient, I have seen vehicles overturn," he said, adding that with the expressway now operational, he expects the situation to deteriorate further, with constant vehicle noise becoming a round-the-clock burden.
An NHAI official overseeing the stretch confirmed awareness of the problem since the corridor opened for a trial in January, when accident reports from the spot began emerging. "The ramp needs to be constructed at the earliest, but since it is caught in litigation, there is nothing we can do. We have erected crash barriers," the official explained. Meanwhile, UP Housing Board officials declined to comment, citing the sub judice nature of the case.
Broader Implications for Infrastructure Development
This dispute highlights the challenges in India's infrastructure projects, where legal entanglements can delay critical components even after high-profile inaugurations. The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, designed to boost connectivity and economic growth, now faces operational hurdles due to this unresolved land issue, affecting local access and safety. As the legal process drags on, residents and authorities alike await a resolution that balances fair compensation with public interest, hoping to unlock the corridor's full benefits soon.
