GURUGRAM: The National Green Tribunal ( NGT ) has asked the Union and state governments, the forest department, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to scrap plans for building a 12km stretch of Greater Southern Peripheral Road GSPR ), also known as Mehrauli-Manesar highway, going through the Aravalis. This means the expressway is now likely to be built according to the original proposal in the Gurugram Master Plan 2031.Currently, the GSPR is in the detailed project report (DPR) stage. The green court gave its order on May 18 while hearing a plea filed by Haryana resident Harinder Dhingra, opposing the construction of the road in the forest area of the Aravalis, as it violates provisions of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.“NGT has ordered NHAI to change the route of GSPR. According to the DPR, as it currently stands, the road will go through Aravalis for 12km from Tikli to Kukrola. But NGT has stopped this, saying road or highway can’t be built through forest land,” said RTI activist Dhingra.He added, “Now, authorities will have to build the road as per the original proposal in the Gurugram Master Plan 2031, connecting Tikli to Manesar (approximately 10 km).” NHAI refused to comment on the NGT verdict.According to Dhingra, NHAI changed the original plan in September 2017 as it would have to pay lesser compensation for the land to be acquired for the amend-ed route.The amended route would have disturbed the Aravali range, touching villages Gairatpur Bas, Bar Gujar, Kota, Akbarpur and Baganki.The plea said, “The area in question forms part of the Aravali hill range which is an important area for biodiversity as it supports a large number of wildlife. The shifting of the expressway to the present route from its earlier proposed route would lead to environmental degradation in the region and enhance the level of pollution in the environment.”GSPR will connect Ambience Mall on Delhi-Gurugram expressway to NSG Camp, Manesar, on NH-8, and cross three major roads, including MG Road, Gurugram-Faridabad Expressway and Gurugram-Sohna road.GSPR will share the burden of these three roads, which currently culminate at Delhi-Gurugram Expressway. Commuters travelling from Dhaula Kuan and IGI airport, who want to go directly to Manesar, can take GSPR as well. “With this order, NHAI can still find a new route for the expressway, but the route certainly can’t go through the Aravalis. Under the name of sustainable development, life, public health and ecology can’t be put at stake,” said Dhingra.

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