Thiruvananthapuram: Despite the state finally agreeing to acquire land for 45-m-wide National Highway and the centre offering to pay two times more in urban areas and four times more in rural areas, nothing much has moved even after 16 months.
The main factor is revenue department’s lackadaisical attitude. It should have framed rules as per the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RR) package details.
But in the previous cabinet meeting, revenue department came out with a new order for ‘negotiated purchase of land’ for the implementation of priority projects of PWD.
Accordingly, district collectors have been granted permission to proceed with ‘negotiated purchase of land’ for PWD’s priority projects especially Rs 100 bridges in 400 days’.
On numerous occasions, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had expressed its displeasure on the progress of NH works citing the delay from the revenue department in acquiring land.
PWD secretary A. P. M. Mohammed Hanish told DC that two glitches have come before them with the major one being the new rules not being put into effect.
“When it came to religious and social forces, both the state and the NHAI decided to be flexible. The union surface transport ministry has agreed to chief secretary’s coordination on this. Only after we complete 80 percent of the land acquisition we can go ahead with the work which is a herculean task,” said Mr Hanish.
However, land revenue commissionerate officials have already invited the response of the people in the affected areas which has to be addressed and cleared.
Assistant land revenue commissioner A. Geetha, said no change had been brought forth in the procedures for land acquisition in the NH Act. But in the compensation part, there will be changes.
“There has been confusion prevailing as to what should be the mode of NH development, be it in Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) or Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC). Depending on the Union government’s decision to introduce an ordinance to make major changes in the existing Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013, there will be changes in the state land acquisition laws as well,” she told DC.
