The HC direction puts an end to the inordinate delay being caused in the project that was sanctioned in 2006.

In another direction to the Haryana government, a Division Bench asked it to acquire 54 acres of Army land for widening of the road from old Zirakpur to Parwanoo. The court has given a deadline of two weeks to the government to acquire the land and compensate the Army by providing it with an alternate piece of land.

A public interest litigation filed in this regard by a resident came up for resumed hearing on Monday before the Bench headed by Justice J S Khehar. The case was argued at length for more than an hour.

The High Court took strong exception to the delay being caused in the construction of the bypass and the widening of the road. The Bench also observed that to ensure the government carried out its order, it would personally visit the spot on Saturday.

The court also took strong note of the inaction on part of the NHAI to remove encroachment from the national highway. It gave one week’s time to the NHAI to clear the stretch of all illegal structures.