SC clears legal hurdle for Narasapuram NH 216 bypass

Bhimavaram: The long-pending NH 216 bypass road project in Narasapuram has received a major push after the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition filed by a landowner, clearing the principal legal hurdle for construction. The proposed bypass stretches for 22.17 kilometres. Authorities have already completed 96 per cent of land acquisition, while a dispute over 750 metres of land, about 3.38 per cent of the total stretch, has stalled the project for the past two years.

Tenders for the project were invited in 2023, but the landowner approached the court. Earlier, the Andhra Pradesh High Court division bench ruled in favour of the National Highways Authority of India. The petitioner then filed a Special Leave Petition in the apex court, keeping the matter pending.

Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma took special initiative to resolve the issue. He held meetings in New Delhi with NHAI officials, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati and senior advocates to coordinate the legal process. The case first came up for hearing in September last year and was followed up on several times. Delivering the final judgment on Tuesday, the court rejected the petitioner’s plea, citing public interest, stating that the benefit of the majority outweighs individual objections. The minister said the verdict removes all legal obstacles to the bypass construction and works will commence soon. Residents expressed relief as the decades-old demand is set to become a reality.