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NHAI Says Structures Built on Acquired Army Land

  • Panchkula While defending the construction of five structures near the upcoming Chandimandir toll plaza on Zirakpur-Parwanoo highway, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has informed the District Town Planner (DTP), Panchkula that these structures have been built on land that was transferred to them by the army.
  • “The structures near the toll plaza have been built on army land. If no objections are raised when the army constructs a structure, we should also be treated at par,” the Project Director of NHAI (Chandigarh), said in an letter to the DTP, Panckula, who had issued a show cause notice to Managing Director of Himalayan Expressway Ltd (HEL) on January 25 to explain why certain structures near the toll plaza were constructed in violation of “Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act, 1952”.
  • HEL has constructed five structures near the Chandimandir toll plaza which have facilities like trauma care centre, toll plaza administrative building, control building, generator and sub-station building and maintenance block. The company had already submitted a written reply to the DTP, explaining that they had not violated any law.“As per the NH Act and the Control of National Highway, (land and traffic) Act, 2002, we have not violated any provisions,” HEL said.The project director NHAI also reiterated that there was no violation of the Periphery Control Act. “The Act is meant to stop slum and ramshackle constructions and the toll plaza structures are in no way a slum development,” he said.
  • The NHAI has also informed DTP (Panchkula) that without the facilities housed in these five structures, the upcoming toll plaza cannot be made operational. “The five structures are part of the four-lane Zirakpur- Parwanoo highway,” NHAI said.DTP (Panchkula), Hitesh Sharma, who had dismissed the earlier contentions of NHAI and HEL over construction of these structures said that he will seek legal advice before deciding on its future course of action.“I have got the NHAI reply, on Friday, and they have put forth various points and I will seek legal advise before deciding on the future course of action,” Kumar said.

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