National Green Tribunal Orders Environmental Clearance for Delhi's Iconic Signature Bridge

The National Green Tribunal on Thursday ordered the Delhi Tourism and Transport Department to get an environmental clearance for the ambitious "Signature Bridge" over the Yamuna river in the national capital.

The bridge has been under construction since 2008 and has overshot its initial budget of Rs 887 crore to 1131 crore. In its 33-page detailed order, the NGT concluded that the bridge project was part of a larger development works and needed environmental clearance.

The NGT, which was hearing a petition by an environmentalist, has ordered the Delhi government to seek clearance within three weeks. It has also directed the state environment committee to pass necessary orders and set conditions to ensure that no further environmental degradation takes place.

"As more than 80 per cent of the bridge has been completed... we do not direct demolition thereof in public interest. However, we direct SEIAA to put such terms and conditions as may be necessary to ensure that there are no adverse impacts on environment, ecology, biodiversity and environmental flow of River Yamuna and its floodplain," a bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar observed in the order.

Reacting to the order, Yamuna crusader and environmentalist Manoj Mishra said that it "will set a very good precedence which will hopefully get the environment ministry to understand that there are still many activities which require environmental clearance."  

The signature bridge, which spans over the Yamuna, was envisaged with an aim to reduce travel time between west and east Delhi by providing a vital crossing over the river. It was to have started construction in 2006 and be complete by the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Work however only got underway in 2008 and costs too escalated due to delays and changing scope of work.