UP ready to plea bargain on UP-Delhi link road hurdle

The Uttar Pradesh government today told the Supreme Court that it was prepared to go for plea bargain to clear the hurdle of UP-Delhi link road which is to be widened for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohatagi submitted before a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrihnan that the state government was prepared to cooperate provided the Centre was ready to change the land use of two pieces of land in Okhla, owned by the state of UP, measuring 100 hectares and 15 hectares, to residential to accomodate the residences for the state government officials. There has been an ongoing dispute between the Centre and the Mayawati government regarding the ownership of land to be used for the link road as the land meant for the road falls partly in UP and partly in Delhi.

The Centre has approached the apex court seeking directives to the Mayawati government not to create hurdles in the construction of the link road in view of the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

On the last date of hearing the apex court had asked both the Centre and the UP government to sincerely explore the possibility of amicable settlement to the issue.