A plea was filed before the Supreme Court on Friday challenging the validity of the Madras High Court's order that quashed acquisition of land for Rs 10,000-crore Chennai-Salem eight-lane expressway under the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana'.
A bench of Justices M R Shah and A S Bopanna agreed to take up the matter on a request for an urgent hearing made by the counsel appearing for the project director of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
The 277.30 km highway faced stiff opposition from activists, farmers, and residents alleging a loss of agricultural land and damage to forest, flora and fauna.
The project, approved in February 2018 was expected to cut down travel time between Chennai and Salem.
The high court, in its judgement on April 8 on a batch of writ petitions by P V Krishnamoorthy and others, including PMK leader A Ramadoss, said the projection made by the National Highway Authority of India on benefits of the highway were speculative. It had among others noted there was no proper study in the environmental impact of the project.
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