New Delhi: In a clear rebuff to the Centre, the Supreme Court on Thursday made it clear that the Eastern Peripheral Expressway constructed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) cannot wait indefinitely for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inauguration and it should be inaugurated on or before May 31 and thrown open to the public from June 1.
The Expressway, which is aimed at decongesting Delhi, was to have been inaugurated by the Prime Minister on April 29 but he could not do so as he was busy in the Karnataka elections. A Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta was hearing a PIL filed by activist M.C. Mehta on measures to curb pollution in the capital.
During the resumed hearing today when counsel informed the court that the Expressway was not opened due to Prime Minister's pre-occupation in Karnataka elections, Justice Lokur told the counsel for NHAI "Why don't you open it and inaugurate it later. The High Court of Meghalaya is functioning for the past five years without a formal inauguration." Justice Lokur said, "We can't wait indefinitely for the Prime Minister,” In a brief order the bench said.
