The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court is expected to deliver its ruling on a critical compensation dispute that has delayed the completion of the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway.
The case involves a two-storeyed house in Mandola, a key stretch of land needed for the expressway, which has become a point of contention between the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Uttar Pradesh Housing Board (UPHB). The court is slated to deliver its verdict on April 29, 2025, a decision that could pave the way for the opening of two important segments of the expressway. The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, a much-anticipated infrastructure project, will connect Delhi to Dehradun, facilitating improved regional connectivity and reducing travel time significantly. The expressway is expected to transform transportation across North India and ease traffic congestion, particularly in Delhi and its surrounding areas. However, a long-standing land acquisition dispute has put the completion of this vital project in jeopardy.
The dispute dates back to 1998 when the UP Housing Board began acquiring agricultural land in Mandola for a proposed housing scheme. While most landowners in the region agreed to compensation and gave up their land, one individual refused to accept the offer. This individual’s land, a two-storeyed house situated along the Delhi-Ghaziabad border, has held up progress on the expressway for years. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the matter, the case remained unresolved even after the original landowner’s passing. The dispute was complicated further when the Housing Board handed over the parcel of land to NHAI, which needed it to build a crucial ramp for the expressway. In 2023, the grandson of the original landowner approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the Housing Board did not have the authority to dispose of the land. The Supreme Court redirected the case to the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, urging an expedited resolution. With NHAI and the Housing Board now involved in a legal battle over the land’s ownership, the court’s verdict is anticipated to bring clarity and allow for the completion of the expressway.
As of now, approximately 98% of the work on the expressway has been completed. However, the dispute over the Mandola property has created a bottleneck, particularly affecting the two stretches of the expressway that are crucial for improving regional access. These stretches include a 14.7-kilometre section from Delhi’s Akshardham to the Uttar Pradesh border (Ghaziabad), and a 16-kilometre stretch from the UP Gate in Loni (Ghaziabad) to Khekra (Baghpat), part of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE). The expressway project has garnered attention at the highest levels of government, with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways closely monitoring its progress. Stakeholders believe that an early resolution of this dispute is essential not only for the expressway’s timely completion but also for the larger economic benefit of the region. The two stretches of the expressway, once operational, will significantly reduce travel time and enhance connectivity between Delhi and Dehradun, thus boosting economic activity in the region.
Despite the progress made on other sections of the expressway, the compensation dispute has sparked protests among local farmers, some of whom have long demanded higher compensation for the land they gave up for the Mandola Housing Scheme. On Monday, a group of farmers staged a protest by locking the gates of the UP Housing Board’s office in Lucknow. They are dissatisfied with the lack of action regarding their compensation, which they claim has been unresolved for years. Protesters are calling for an immediate solution to the land acquisition issues, especially since the expressway is a key part of regional development. A representative of the Housing Board defended the organisation’s actions, stating that the land was acquired through due process. The official explained that the original project was slated to be completed in 15 years but was delayed due to the farmers’ protests. Despite the ongoing protests, the Housing Board maintains that the compensation demands are unjustified and that the acquisition was completed according to the law.
The outcome of the court case could have significant implications not only for the expressway’s completion but also for the future of infrastructure projects in the region. The case highlights the challenges faced by development projects in India, where legal disputes, local resistance, and compensation issues often delay crucial infrastructure projects. As the verdict date approaches, all eyes are on the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court to bring an end to this long-standing dispute and enable the completion of a project that is expected to reshape transportation in the region. In the broader context, the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway represents an important step towards improving infrastructure in India. By offering a faster, safer, and more efficient route for travellers between Delhi and Dehradun, the expressway promises to bolster the regional economy. However, the legal hurdles it has encountered serve as a reminder of the complexities involved in large-scale infrastructure development, where multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests must be balanced to achieve successful outcomes.
Delhi-Dehradun Expressway Awaiting HC Verdict on House Dispute
