CM wants Parrikar to help get NOC from army

LUCKNOW : Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has sought intervention of defence minister Manohar Parrikar in the completion of six-lane road and bridge under Lucknow infrastructure project on Kukrail dam.

In a letter to the defence minister, Akhilesh said instructions should be issued to the army for “working permission” on the project on a stretch of land.

Apprising the defence minister about the project, the chief minister said that 4.180 km sixlane road was under construction. The project also included 1020-meter long flyover. Yadav said while construction on 2.55 km work had already completed, work on remaining stretch was pending because of non-availability of no-objection certificate from the army.

Yadav said the project was vital as it would directly link several colonies like Khurram Nagar, Vikas Nagar, Indira Nagar with airport and railway station and would also smoothen traffic congestion on other roads. The chief minister also has also drawn the attention of the defence minister about his earlier letter in this connection.

The chief minister said the army had raised objection on remaining 1.630 km stretch on the ground that it included trans-Gomti firing range and Kukrail firing range. The army has also objected to flyover in this area. Pointing out that there was dense population in both firing ranges and they were not operational also.

The PWD had written a letter on June 12, 2013 to army headquarter seeking permission for the construction. The PWD had also made it clear that land ownership would not be changed. Then there was a meeting between PWD and bridge corporation officers with Army officers on August 3, 2013. Thereafter, the state government wrote several letters seeking permission for constructions.

The CM said that road was being constructed on irrigation department land and there was no need of land of any other agency including that of army.