DTC building bus terminal on encroached land, says NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently ordered the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to halt the construction activity at the proposed bus terminal in Najafgarh, south-west Delhi, stating that the terminal is being built on the encroached water body. The DTC was instructed to respond within two weeks.

The Principal Bench of the NGT comprising Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava, Judicial Member Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Member A. Senthil Vel, said, in an order dated July 4, that the DTC has encroached the water body by constructing a bus terminal and a multi-storey commercial building on the land.

The District Magistrate (South West) informed the tribunal that “no clearance had been given” for construction on the land. In an affidavit submitted to the NGT, the DM said, “the said land is recorded as johar (water body) and at present a bus terminal constructed on it. The water body has been encroached upon by the DTC.”

The affidavit also mentioned that there was no record of any change of land use or no-objection certificate from the Forest Department, which is in violation of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017. The NGT also noted that no reply has been filed by the Managing Director of the DTC and granted two-week extension to file replies.