Green Relief in Gurgaon

The National Green Tribunal’s approval to the 16-lane DLF-HUDA expressway has some as a shot in the arm for the developers of the region. They fell it would lead to a spurt in reality activity and enhanced connectivity on one hand and increased green cover on the other

Better late than never. Finally, the green mess on the DLF-HUDA Expressway in Gurgaon is over. With the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) approval to the road widening project for the construction of a 16-lane expressway in Gurgaon, the roadblocks to travelling comfort, faster connectivity and importantly, too much bigger real estate development activity seems to have been removed.

Significantly, the tribunal in its recent ruling has recorded its satisfaction on the ongoing efforts to plant 10 trees for every tree cut. Moreover, what adds like an icing to the cake is the fact that now only 26 trees would be cut near the National Media Centre (NMC) on the land which belongs to the government.

The 16-lane expressway is 8.3-km long signal free corridor that will connect NH-8 toll plaza to the Golf Course Road and was to come up in Gurgaon’s 55 and 56 sectors.

The entire episode had been entangled in a controversy for a long time over the cutting of trees.

Earlier in June, the NGT was informed by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) that the road widening project of DLF and Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) in Sectors 55-56 of Gurgaon required environmental clearance (EC).

The NGT bench headed by Justice P Jyothimani too had supported the HSPCB stand when it said:  “Recognising the need of the project in question which will serve the larger public interest by way of resulting in smooth flow of traffic, we are of the opinion that project in question may be allowed subject to the environmental safeguard which would keep the likely adverse impacts to the bare minimum.”

The tribunal’s order came on a plea by residents of NMC, a housing society located in Sectors 55-56, who had challenged the cutting of trees by HUDA, DLF and the Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Ltd (IL&FS).

Asked about the reasons why the NGT order to road widening project in Gurgaon came so late, PC Meena, administrator, HUDA, Gurgaon told Realty & More: “I welcome the tribunal’s move but I cannot comment on the delay…Also the road widening project would have been further delayed if the NGT order had not come on time. What I am sure of is that with this order, a major roadblock has been cleared on the development front of the region.”

“Moreover, HUDA’s move in planting 10 trees for every tree it cut would definitely add the greenery in the region,” he added.

The tribunal in its recent ruling has recorded its satisfaction on the ongoing efforts to plant 10 trees for every tree cut. Moreover, what adds like an icing to the cake is the fact that only 26 trees would now be cut near the National Media Centre (NMC) on the land which belongs to the government
The much-awaited NGT nod was entangled in controversy over cutting of trees for a long time
The 16-lane expressway is 8.3 km long signal free corridor connecting NH-8 toll plaza to the Golf Course Road and was to come up in Gurgaon’s sectors 55 and 56
The NGT was in June last year informed by the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) that the road-widening project of DLF and HUDA in Sectors 55-56 of Gurgaon, which is embroiled in controversy over cutting of trees, requires environmental clearance.

On the growth impetus in the region, Meena said that as far as the speed of growth is concerned, the pace was satisfactory but now the NGT order would certainly accelerate the project execution in a faster pace which would lead to further rapid growth in the region.

In June 2013, residents had alleged that DLF and HUDA were hand-in-glove in the move to obtain permission to cut over 1,000 trees between Shankar Chowk and Sector 55-56. It was also alleged that they did not have the requisite permission to cut trees between the toll plaza and Shankar Chowk. “Therefore we feel that DLF and HUDA are trying willfully to mislead the court. In fact the court wondered how the forest department can give permission to cut over a thousand trees for a sector road,” one of the petitioners from NMC had charged.

On the NMC land, the NGT said that the road widening project would help in the smooth flow of traffic, the land in question does not fall within the ambit of the forest land as per provisions of Forest Conservation Act, 1980 as informed by the state government to the Supreme Court.

With the NGT’s recent move, developers feel that the decision to continue with the widening of the DLF–HUDA expressway has been the right judgment by the tribunal and it will certainly help a bulk of the population living and commuting from the close and far off regions.

However, the tribunal’s nod, they feel, will not affect the RWAs and others as this initiative is with the objective of smooth traffic on the stretch.

“The DLF-HUDA expressway development is highly beneficial from many aspects. It will positively impact the projects situated or planned on the DLF-HUDA expressway. Wider the stretch, higher will be the connectivity for the sectors falling near and around it. New projects may also be announced considering the newer demand and recognition of the area. All these will lead to higher supplies which would eventually boost the property market in Gurgaon,” says Vikas Gupta, joint managing director, Earth Group.

Says Kamal Batra, chairman, Buniyad Group: “Whatever decisions are taken by the authorities or the government, it is with the view of general public interest only. It cannot be taken by considering the interest of only a few clusters of people. The RWAs and adjoining residents must look at the bigger picture here as even in near future, they stand to benefit in several ways due to the construction of the expressway.”

“If we observe the Gurgaon real estate carefully, we will see that the sectors and regions along NH 8 have always been in high demand. The widening of the expressway will definitely promote the projects on those locations,” adds Vikas Chawla, director, Maxblis.

WHAT DEVELOPERS SAY

I welcome the tribunal’s move but I cannot comment on the delay…Also the road widening project would have been further delayed if the NGT order had not come on time. What I am sure of is that with this order, a major roadblock has been cleared on the development front of the region.
PC MEENA, Administrator, HUDA, Gurgaon

The DLF-HUDA expressway development is highly beneficial from many aspects. It will positively impact the projects situated or planned on the DLF-HUDA expressway. Wider the stretch, higher will be the connectivity for the sectors falling near and around it. New projects may also be announced considering the newer demand and recognition of the area. All these will lead to higher supplies which would eventually boost the property market in Gurgaon.
VIKAS GUPTA, JMD, Earth Group

Whatever decisions are taken by the authorities or the government, it is with the view of general public interest only. It cannot be taken by considering the interest of only a few clusters of people. The RWAs and adjoining residents must look at the bigger picture here as even in near future, they stand to benefit in several ways due to the construction of the expressway.
KAMAL BATRA, Chairman, Buniyad Group

The residents, however, will be welcoming the decision of the NGT on accounts of real estate capital gains, good connectivity and saving time. Better infrastructure always commands better premium anywhere in the world, thus the developers’ projects will certainly enjoy the premium of the improved infrastructure.
PRAMOD GOEL, CMD, Victory Projects

A development of this scale always attracts a lot of buyers, especially those who commute daily on that route. So there will be some price rise in and around the region.
ARVIND SINGH, MD, Krasa Group

This development will greatly benefit the real estate market there. Not only will investment rise in Gurgaon, but a lot might also be pumped in from Delhi too. After the completion, there will be a rise in price by at least 10% in those sectors.
SUSHANT MUTTREJA, MD, Cosmic Group

If we observe the Gurgaon real estate carefully, we will see that the sectors and regions along NH 8 have always been in high demand. The widening of the expressway will definitely promote the projects on those locations.
VIKAS CHAWLA, Director, Maxblis

After the widening of the expressway, the prices of realty in sectors 55 and 56 and other sectors in close proximity will witness a steep rise as this expressway was a key factor in the region. This will also allow a lot of investors of Delhi to invest in the sectors along the expressway.
VIPUL GUPTA, MD, Neobrix

PRICE CORRECTION

After the road widening project in Gurgaon, developers are hopeful that there will be some price correction on the realty projects especially in the case of the residential ones.

“After the widening of the expressway, the prices of realty in sectors 55 and 56 and other sectors in close proximity will witness a steep rise as this expressway was a key factor in the region. This will also allow a lot of investors of Delhi to invest in the sectors along the expressway,” says Vipul Gupta, managing director, Neobrix.

“A development of this scale always attracts a lot of buyers, especially those who commute daily on that route. So there will be some price rise in and around the region,” says Arvind Singh, managing director, Krasa Group.

On the other hand, Sushant Muttreja, managing director, Cosmic Group says: “This development will greatly benefit the real estate market there. Not only will investment rise in Gurgaon, but a lot might also be pumped in from Delhi too. After the completion, there will be a rise in price by at least 10 per cent in those sectors.”