NHAI to move Supreme Court over NH-1 project order

NEW DELHI: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is likely to move the Supreme Court with a review petition seeking re-examination of its verdict on the stalled six-laning of Panipat-Jalandhar stretch on NH-1, directing the authority to allow shifting of two toll plazas and granting extension till March 2014 to complete the project.

Sources said that based on legal opinion, NHAI forwarded the proposal to file the review petition to the road transport and highways ministry, which has concurred. The original deadline of the project was mid-2012.

The SC verdict came last month after the concessionaire Soma Isolux filed a petition in the apex court challenging the May 2013 order of Punjab and Haryana high court. The HC had imposed Rs 60 crore and Rs 7 crore fine on the company and its director respectively for inordinate delay in completion of the six-laning project. It had also directed NHAI to take over the project and commence work immediately.

The court has directed NHAI to grant permission to the concessionaire to shift the toll plaza within two months. The concessionaire was also granted extension till March 2014 to complete the project.

Highlighting how shifting of two toll plazas may go against public interest and would benefit the private concessionaire financially, NHAI chairman RP Singh in his letter to highways secretary Vijay Chhibber said shifting of Sambhu toll plaza will result in giving additional revenue stream to the private player.

"As far as shifting of toll location at KM 146 to KM 110 is concerned, the new toll will be in close proximity with the existing toll location of L&T at Panipat. Since the government has already decided to levy toll on the Panipat-Delhi stretch at KM 51, this would literally result in three toll plazas within a distance of 65 kms," he wrote.

Singh has said that this move can create serious public uproar.