11000 crore Eastern Peripheral Highway; Solar Panels, Fountains Even Wires Stolen

Eastern Peripheral Highway; Solar Panels, Fountains Even Wires Stolen

According to news reports, incidences of thefts have been being reported from the Expressway, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 27

                Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated the                 phase-I of Delhi-Meerut Expressway, which                 connects the Nizamuddin Bridge to the                                             UP Border |

 Notwithstanding tall claims of the state government on the law and order situation across the state, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) in Uttar Pradesh's Bagpat has fallen a prey to theft these days, despite patrolling squads in action.

             Eastern Peripheral Expressway will                                    be India's first green highway 

Complains of thefts of solar panels, batteries, iron and under-lights among other things have surfaced in news reports in the past few weeks. According to sources, the value of stolen goods is estimated to be millions of rupees. However, the officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are taking a serious note of this issue.

 According to a report by Amar Ujala, major theft has taken place between Uttar Pradesh's Dasna and Kundali area. For the unversed, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Uttar Pradesh's Bagpat on May 27. Its foundation stone was laid by PM Modi in November 2015. The thieves have stolen several solar panels and batteries from along the route. Even high mast lighting poles and electricity wires have been stolen. Fountains along the way have also been vandalised. Iron fences on several tracts of the route are also missing.

The Rs.11,000-crore Eastern Peripheral Expressway is India's first smart and green highway. It must be noted that the 135-km Eastern Peripheral Expressway envisages signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Faridabad and Palwal. The expressway has been built in a record 17 month time. The inauguration of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway took place after the Supreme Court set a May 31 deadline.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the Expressway has been completed in 510 days and cycle track was being made on both sides of the road. Gadkari claimed that by next March, the Eastern Peripheral Expressway would be completed, and commuters would be able to travel to Delhi from Meerut only in 40 minutes. The Minister further informed that the Supreme Court was monitoring the project.