The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) today told the Supreme Court that construction work of a 24.5 km stretch of Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Ghaziabad has been stranded as the UP Police has not given them protection despite the court's order.<br/><br/>NHAI said that the apex court had asked the Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh to look into the issue of providing security for the work but nothing has been done, as farmers were staging protests at the construction site.<br/><br/>The 135-km long Eastern Peripheral Expressway envisages providing signal-free connectivity between Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar (Greater Noida) and Palwal.<br/><br/>Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar countered the NHAI submission and said that in a recent meeting held between the officials of NHAI and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the authority has said they have taken up the matter with the UP police chief who has assured assistance.<br/><br/>NHAI's counsel told a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta that Ghaziabad's senior superintendent of police (SSP) should be summoned to explain why no protection was provided to officials and workers at the site.<br/><br/>The counsel said they had told the apex court that work would be completed by March 2018 but due to the protest, the construction has been stalled.<br/><br/>The court has fixed the matter for hearing on May 1.<br/><br/>