Delhi HC asks NHAI to respond to plea saying cutting of trees illegal in Dwarka

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Delhi government and other authorities to respond on a plea which said that 980 trees and 1,500 shrubs were illegally felled for construction of a flyover at road number 226 in Dwarka’s Sector 22/23. 

Justice Navin Chawla issued notice to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), UTTIPEC (United Traffic & Transportation Infrastructure (Planning & Engineering) and the contractor of the project. 

The plea was filed by cooperative group housing societies and residents of sectors 22 and 23. It said that the construction is being carried without having obtained the necessary permissions/approvals from Delhi government, the DDA and the DPCC.

The petition also said that the authorities have turned blind eye to the unapproved construction by the NHAI and it would lead to exponential rise in traffic, air and noise pollution, create traffic bottlenecks, increase road safety issues. 

Vice president of New Millennium Apartments in Sector 23 and a member of the group Dwarka Bachao Abhiyan working to save trees from cutting said, “Things must be according to law. We are against anything which is against the law. They must follow the rules.”

A member of Dwarka Bachao Abhiyan and eminent environment activist from the area, Diwan Singh said, “We want to save the trees from cutting and save the environment. Trees should not be cut without permission.”