Collectors Asked to Expedite Land Acquisition for NH Projects

December 16, 2013

By Express News Service – ROURKELA

Faced with inordinate delay in land acquisition and rehabilitation of people to be displaced by upgradation of NH-143 and 520 running through Sundargarh, Keonjhar and Deogarh districts, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up the issue with respective Collectors to expedite the process.

Sources said NHAI regional officer LP Padhi, who wrapped up his two-day visit on Saturday, along with other NHAI officials, met Sundargarh Collector Bhupendra Singh Poonia and his Keonjhar counterpart BP Sahoo requesting them to expedite land acquisition process.

He also discussed various issues related to NHAI concessionaires.

An NHAI official said besides land acquisition, they are facing problems in getting permission for felling trees. Besides, the forest land diversion proposals are moving at a snail’s pace.

After a meeting at Rajgangpur, Sundargarh Collector said the land acquisition process is in compensation disbursement stage for NH-143 which is to be four-laned from Birmitrapur to Rajamunda. He assured of removing the hurdles for NH-520 passing through Koida and Lahunipara blocks of Bonai sub-division.

NHAI Manager (Technical) MM Sahu said the NH-143 stretch of around 88 kms from Birmitrapur to Rajamunda would be four-laned while the remaining stretch of around 37 kms from Rajamunda to Barkote in Deogarh district would be two-laned.

The Birmitrapur-Barkote Tollway Ltd, a subsidiary of NHAI concessionaire Gammon Infrastructure Ltd, would execute the project at an estimated cost of ` 778.6 crore and the project includes second Brahmani bridge at Rourkela, Sahu said. It would be completed on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis.

Regarding the NH-520 project, NHAI Manager (Technical) Debabrata Kundu said they have apprised Keonjhar Collector of delay in the project and he has assured of necessary support.

Kundu further said of 96 kms stretch from Rimuli to Rajamunda, running through Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts, around 84 kms would be four-laned and remaining 12 kms two-laned.

Source-http://www.newindianexpress.com