Delhi-Dehradun Expressway not fully operational yet? How one 1,600 sq m house is blocking the ₹12,000 crore connectivity project

Even after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway on April 14, 2026, one small two-storey house in Loni’s Mandola village near Ghaziabad continues to stand defiantly in the way of full functionality. The house, proudly named “Swabhiman”, sits squarely in the middle of the planned exit ramp that is supposed to connect the expressway to Delhi and the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. Without this ramp, vehicles cannot exit safely.

National Highways Authority of India has built crash barriers around the house and is using a narrow temporary service road as a workaround. This temporary arrangement has already caused congestion and safety issues.

The 28-year-old land dispute

The standoff began in 1998 when the Uttar Pradesh Housing Board acquired land for the Mandola Vihar Housing Scheme. Most farmers accepted compensation of around ₹1,100 per square metre, but Veersen Saroha refused. He challenged the acquisition in the Allahabad High Court and won a stay on his 1,600 sq m plot.


Years later, when the land was transferred to NHAI for the expressway, the stay order remained in place. Veersen is no longer alive, but his grandson Lakshyaveer Saroha and niece Pooja Nehra are continuing the legal battle.

The family is not against the expressway itself. They are demanding compensation at current 2026 market rates, not the 1998 rates. Pooja Nehra told TOI, “We are requesting the value of the claim to reflect the current market value, not based on the previous market value for the past nearly 20 years.”

In 2024, Lakshyaveer approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the Housing Board had no right to transfer the land. The apex court sent the matter back to the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. The case was last heard on March 26, but the bench was dissolved, and a new hearing is still awaited.

PIB clarification on the delay

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) issued a clarification stating that there is no hindrance on the main expressway itself. The issue is limited to a small 90-metre stretch of the service road adjacent to Ramp-5. Two ramps on each side have been provided for entry and exit, out of which Ramp-2, 3, and 4 are already completed.

To maintain traffic flow, a temporary bypass has been created through the internal road of Mandola Vihar Yojna. Vehicles using the service road and exiting from Ramp-5 can take this diversion.

Current situation on the ground

NHAI has built crash barriers around the house and is using a temporary narrow service road as a workaround. The incomplete ramp has already created practical problems — commuters face congestion, and the temporary road is dusty and narrow. An NHAI official confirmed that the agency has been aware of the problem since the trial run in January and is waiting for the court to resolve the litigation before completing the ramp. The UP Housing Board has refused to comment, citing that the matter is sub judice.

A lone watchman has been posted by the family since November 2022. He stands guard day and night behind crash barriers, watching vehicles struggle with the uneven gradient. A signboard placed in front of the house reads: “The matter is sub judice in the Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court.”

What the Saroha family says

The Saroha family insists they want a fair resolution. Pooja Nehra said they are open to dialogue now that the expressway is operational, but they will not accept outdated compensation rates.

The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, spanning 213 km and built at a cost of over ₹12,000 crore, is expected to cut travel time from over six hours to about 2.5 hours. The Swabhiman house remains the only major obstacle preventing the Loni ramp from becoming fully operational.

(With TOI inputs)