Work on the much-awaited Greenfield Project, aimed at decongesting the Airport Road in Mohali, is finally expected to begin within a month as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has approved four-fold increase in the compensation amount for landowners. The project had been put on hold for nearly eight months as landowners were protesting against the rates being offered for their land.
While earlier, the NHAI was to pay between ₹24 lakh and ₹4.12 crore per acre, depending on the location, now they have approved compensation of ₹1 crore and ₹1.09 crore per acre to those who were to get ₹24 lakh per acre.
Mohali district revenue officer (DRO) Gurdev Singh said, “NHAI has approved revised rates for compensation and we have got a letter in this regard. In villages where the compensation rate was around ₹24 lakh per acre, the administration has revised the rate to more than a crore.”
A senior NHAI official, privy to the development, said, “Now since the rates have been revised, we want all landowners to come forward and take their compensation which is already lying with the department. Once the money is disbursed, we will start the work on the project within a month’s time.”
NHAI had released ₹450 crore to acquire 450 acres in 28 villages and the district revenue officer has already disbursed ₹80 crore compensation to farmers of around 10 villages. Out of total 28 villages, 21 are from Kharar tehsil, while 6 village are from Mohali tehsil.
{{/usCountry}}NHAI had released ₹450 crore to acquire 450 acres in 28 villages and the district revenue officer has already disbursed ₹80 crore compensation to farmers of around 10 villages. Out of total 28 villages, 21 are from Kharar tehsil, while 6 village are from Mohali tehsil.
{{/usCountry}}₹700 crore project
NHAI had come up with the Greenfield Project after scrapping the 40-km Kharar-Banur-Tepla road project in July 2019, owing to its high cost. The 32-kilometre road, from IT Chowk (PR-7) near Chandigarh International Airport to Kurali-Chandigarh road, is being constructed at a cost of ₹700 crore. Once complete, it will help ease traffic in Chandigarh and Zirakpur by serving as an alternative route for those from Delhi heading towards Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
With the project on hold since September last year, Member of Parliament Manish Tewari had recently taken up the matter with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari and urged him to expedite the project as it will help in decongesting the traffic of Mohali. The greenfield road is built in an area that has never been developed.