Yamuna Expressway update

The Allahabad High Court cleared the 160 km six-lane Yamuna Expressway from Greater Nodia to Mathura and dismissed several writ petitions filed against the project. The judgement was passed by a division bench of Justice Sunil Ambawani and Justice Virendra Singh on a writ petition filed by Narendra Roadlines Ltd and several others. The petitioners had filed the petition challenging the notification issued under sections 4, 6, 17 (1) (4) of the Land Acquisition Act. The state government had acquired the land for six-lane Yamuna Expressway project in Gautambudh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, etc. The petitioners were land owners, bhumihars and persons in possession of the lands. The writ petitions were opposed by chief standing counsel MC Chaturvedi who had contended that most of the tenure holders had taken the compensation for their acquired lands on the basis of ‘karar’ (agreement). Dismissing the writ petitions, the court held the ground that construction of Yamuna Expressway is of great public importance and is linked to Commonwealth Games, 2010 and further that most of the tenure-holders had accepted the compensation towards their acquired lands.