Road from Mahipalpur to IGI runs into hurdle

Once upon a time it was a Commonwealth Games project, then the project deadline shifted to 2014-15.

Now, the very feasibility of the Mahipalpur-IGI road widening project is under a cloud thanks to a tussle between Delhi government and the green lobby over the 550-odd trees that will need to be sacrificed for the project.

Long resigned to the fact that the plan which was meant to decongest the alternate route to the international airport will not see the light of the day before the Games, chief secretary Rakesh Mehta has now formed a committee comprising officials of the environment department, DDA, NHAI and environment experts to see whether it is possible to finish the project without cutting the trees or if a third route to the airport may be worked out. Traffic to the airport stands at an estimated 60,000-70,000 vehicles per day and there are projections that this may touch a lakh in some years.

Sources say a meeting presided over by the chief secretary on Wednesday turned stormy after some environment experts present in the meeting put up a passionate appeal against cutting the trees on the ground that the trees were ‘‘hundreds of years old’’ and cutting them would mean irrevocable damage to the environment. With no side ready to concede defeat the only option left for Mehta was to refer the matter to a committee.