The Hindu Business Line : `Land buying hassles hit road schemes'

DIFFICULTIES associated with acquisition of land for widening of national highways in several States have hindered the progress of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP), the Union Ministry for Road Transport & Highways, Mr B.C. Khanduri, said here on Wednesday.

"By far the biggest issue confronting the Government in implementing the NHDP is the acquisition of land for the project. The situation in some of the States is quite bad, it is almost impossible to start work in the absence of land for widening of highways," Mr Khanduri said at a press conference.

For instance, the Government is yet to acquire 85 per cent out of a total of 916 hectares of land to be acquired in Tamil Nadu for developing national highways under NHDP. "We are going around with hardly 15 per cent of the land required in Tamil Nadu. So, the Golden Quadrilateral section connecting Chennai and Mumbai is posing problems and delays," he said.

Similarly, in Maharashtra, the Government has so far been able to acquire only 211 hectares of land out of a total requirement of 638 hectares.

In Karnataka and West Bengal, the Government was yet to acquire 24 per cent and 16 per cent respectively of the total land required for four-laning in these two States under NHDP.

Besides, law and order problems in Bihar and the demand for additional facilities in Maharashtra, which are neither possible nor justified, have been causing delays in the implementation of NHDP, the Minister said.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Air Deccan plane catches fire after flag-off

Policy on setting up of SBM at major ports on anvil

Concern over new port security norms

Ministry finalises plan on non-NHDP projects

`Land buying hassles hit road schemes'