The 212km Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, a crucial infrastructure project, is almost ready for operation, but a legal conflict over a 1,600 sq m land parcel in Mandola has caused a delay in its completion. The Supreme Court has intervened, urging the speedy resolution of the dispute. The issue dates back to 1998, when the UP Housing Board acquired land for the Mandola Housing Scheme. Most families accepted compensation, but Veersen Saroha resisted and went to court, eventually retaining ownership of his land. Now, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) acquired land for the expressway, Saroha’s grandson, Lakshyaveer, has challenged the takeover, creating a legal bottleneck. The Supreme Court has referred the case to the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, setting a hearing for April 16. The court highlighted the expressway’s importance in significantly reducing travel time between Delhi and Dehradun and stressed the need for a swift resolution. Once completed, the expressway will cut travel time between Delhi and Baghpat to under 30 minutes and improve regional connectivity. However, the final opening hinges on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings. The NHAI is hopeful that a prompt resolution will allow the project to fulfill its promise of faster, safer travel.
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