The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police across Punjab to ensure the handing over of encumbrance-free land to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) within specific timeframes, following discrepancies in data and unsatisfactory explanations regarding delay in possession.

The directions by the Bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Vikas Suri came in a case where NHAI, through Senior Advocate Chetan Mittal, was seeking possession of acquired land for national highway projects.

Among other things, Mittal contended that 136.67 km, out of 1,288.31 km of sanctioned highways, remained pending due to non-handing over of land by the state.

Taking up the matter, the High Court expressed hope that NHAI would now receive possession of all pending land tracts, enabling the construction of key infrastructure projects including the Delhi-Katra Expressway and its spur connecting to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The court had earlier summoned the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs concerned after finding inconsistencies between the affidavits filed by the Regional Officer of NHAI and Punjab Chief Secretary, who stated that only 88.39 km was pending.

The state had attributed the delay to protests by Kisan Unions and re-possession attempts by landowners, which the court found unsatisfactory.

During the resumed hearing, the Court recorded the oral undertakings given by the Deputy Commissioners, before directing them to hand over encumbrance-free land within a defined period.

The Bench observed, 32.75 km remained pending in Gurdaspur. The Bench  directed it to be handed over within four weeks. Tarn Taran authorities were also directed to deliver 19.16 km by May 3. In Sangrur and Ludhiana, where pending possession stood at 0.37 km and 41.59 km, the timeline set was two weeks. For Malerkotla, the time allowed was 20 days for 1.015 km. In Jalandhar and Fazilka, where 9.35 km and 1.77 km  were pending. As such, the deadline was fixed as April 30.

Similarly, in Kapurthala, the minor portion of 0.08 km was directed to be delivered within four weeks. Amritsar authorities undertook to hand over 9.05 km by May 3. In Moga and Barnala, where pending land measured 1.99 km and 2.5 km respectively, the timeline ranged from four weeks to April 30. The court also took on record the affidavits filed by the officers but expressed dissatisfaction with the reasons furnished and emphasized strict adherence to the undertakings recorded in court.