GURUGRAM: Residents near Moulsari Avenue Metro station have challenged DLF’s plan to install 24 diesel generator (DG) sets. They have approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) over concerns about pollution, fire risks and metro safety.
The proposed installation has a combined capacity of 67,500 KVA. It includes six generators of 2,250 KVA each and 18 units of 3,000 KVA each.
Residents claim the developer plans to install the equipment on land without specific environmental clearance. They also fear risks to nearby families, children and senior citizens.
Residents Raise Questions About Environmental Approvals
Citizens claim that environmental clearances from 2019 to 2023 include a 32.3-acre commercial project. However, they allege these approvals exclude a separate land parcel marked as ‘Part B’.
They have also cited environmental documents that reportedly place the DG rooms and cooling towers outside the approved project boundary. According to their submissions, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) approvals do not cover the disputed parcel.
The nearby housing society has around 3,500 to 4,000 residents. A pre-primary school and a day-care centre also operate close to the proposed site.
Metro Proximity Triggers Safety Concerns
Residents have questioned the distance between the proposed generators and the operational elevated metro corridor. Their submissions place the nearest DG set around 15 metres from the metro station’s foundation. They also estimate that underground diesel storage lies about 60 metres away.
They want authorities to assess risks from diesel storage, generator operations and the proposed gas-insulated substation (GIS).
Residents claim the project lacks a documented safety or structural assessment from the metro authorities. DLF has reportedly maintained that it does not need approval from Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation Limited (HMRTC).
The residents have also questioned the project’s earlier descriptions. They cite an HMRTC reference to the premises as the “DLF GIS”. They contrast this with a March 2024 letter in which DLF denied constructing a power generation plant or substation.
Pollution Board Consultation Faces Scrutiny
Residents allege that DLF did not consult HSPCB before finalising the generator and cooling tower locations. They argue that the environmental clearances required such consultation.
They have cited an RTI response dated July 24, 2025. According to their submissions, the response indicated that authorities had not finalised these locations with the board.
In a reply dated January 8, 2026, HSPCB stated that DG set locations and cooling tower construction fell outside its remit, according to the residents. They have challenged this position and sought clarity on the approval requirements.
Residents have also highlighted differences in project descriptions. A revised building plan approved on May 1, 2026, reportedly covers Sectors 24, 25 and 25A. Earlier environmental clearances refer to Sector 25. Residents want authorities to clarify whether the disputed parcel falls within the approved project area.
Residents Seek Cancellation of Environmental Clearances
Residents have also questioned an environmental approval dated July 30, 2007. The documents they cite refer to a proposed commercial complex in DLF City Phase III, Sector 25A.
They claim workers carried out site preparation and excavation, but construction did not follow. They have questioned the fresh clearances issued in 2019 and the omission of the earlier approval from later documents.
Residents have further raised concerns about excavation and changes to the land’s natural contour. They have asked the tribunal to cancel the 2019 and 2023 environmental clearances. They have also sought action over alleged misrepresentation and violations of clearance conditions.
These allegations are still unresolved. The NGT has scheduled the next hearing for November 19, 2026.
