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The National Green Tribunal has been informed that the National Highways Authority of India constructed an elevated stretch of the Urban Extension Road-II on land officially recorded as a protected waterbody in Goyla Khurd, south-west Delhi. The Delhi Wetland Authority stated that such construction is not permitted and that the Delhi Development Authority, as land owner, should have ensured protection. While the road has been completed, the land has not yet been taken back by the district administration. The tribunal has directed local authorities to prepare a revival plan and address sewage inflow into the waterbody.
The National Green Tribunal has been told that land used for building an elevated section of the Urban Extension Road-II in Goyla Khurd village falls under the category of a protected waterbody. The disclosure was made by the Delhi Wetland Authority, which stated that construction activities are not allowed on listed waterbodies under existing environmental rules. It also pointed out that the Delhi Development Authority, being the land-owning agency, was responsible for ensuring that the site was protected from encroachment or misuse. Advertisement
The elevated road was built by the National Highways Authority of India as part of the UER-II corridor, a major infrastructure project aimed at improving connectivity in the outer parts of the national capital. The authority has completed construction and informed the district magistrate of south-west Delhi that it intends to hand back the land after completion of acquisition procedures. However, the district administration has not yet taken over the land, according to submissions made before the tribunal.
The Wetland Authority further noted that agencies in control of waterbody land are required not only to prevent damage but also to plan for restoration and long-term conservation. It highlighted that untreated sewage from a nearby village has been flowing into the waterbody, worsening its condition. This issue was flagged as needing immediate attention once the land is formally taken back from the highway authority.
The matter came before the tribunal after it took suo motu cognisance of a media report that flagged the construction of the elevated road over a protected pond. During earlier hearings, the tribunal had sought responses from multiple agencies and expressed dissatisfaction with some of the explanations provided. It had also observed that clarity was lacking on how environmental safeguards were addressed during project execution.
In its latest direction, the tribunal has asked the district magistrate to coordinate with the gram sabha and the DDA to take possession of the land and prepare an action plan for reviving the waterbody. The authorities have been told to ensure that sewage inflow is stopped and ecological restoration measures are initiated. The case continues to be monitored by the tribunal.
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