32-kilometre greenfield alignment project in Mohali: NHAI agrees to enhance relief for landowners

Earlier, NHAI was to pay between ₹24 lakh and ₹4.12 crore per acre tor land being acquired to construct the 32-km greenfield alignment, depending on the location; now, those who were to get ₹24 lakh per acre will get between ₹1 crore and ₹1.12 crore

After a strong protest by farmers over inadequate compensation for land being acquired to construct the 32-km greenfield alignment to decongest Airport Road in Mohali, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to increase the rates.

Farmers had earlier protested against the low land acquisition rates fixed by NHAI.

NHAI’s ₹700 crore project had been brought to a halt after farmers pressed demand for enhanced compensation.

Earlier, the authority was to pay between ₹24 lakh and ₹4.12 crore per acre, depending on the location. Now, those who were to get ₹24 lakh per acre will get between ₹1 crore and ₹1.12 crore.

Mohali district revenue officer Gurjinder Singh Benipal said they had conducted a meeting with NHAI officials, who agreed to the enhanced rates. “We will be sending them the final awards, and hopefully, these will be cleared in a week’s time,” he said.

NHAI had earlier released ₹450 crore to acquire 450 acres in 66 villages to construct the 32-km road, but affected landowners in Nagiari, Devi Nagar and other villages objected to the low acquisition rates.

Gurdial Singh, district coordinator of the farmers’ body, Road Sangrash Committee, said earlier, they were given compensation under Section 26 of the Land Acquisition Act. “But now, they have agreed to give compensation under Section 28/7, which means, they will make cluster of 10 villages and high compensation in any village will be applicable to all villages,” he said.

A greenfield road is built in an area that has never been developed. The planned road from IT Chowk near the Chandigarh International Airport to the Kurali-Chandigarh Road will provide an alternative route to traffic moving between the Delhi side and parts of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Ashoka Buildcon Limited has been finalised to carry out the project.

NHAI had come up with this project after scrapping the project to widen the 40-km Kharar-Banur-Tepla road in July 2019, owing to its high cost. Even member of Parliament Manish Tewari had taken up the need for an alternative route with Union minister Nitin Gadkari in February 2020.