National Highway projects are delayed due to various reasons viz. utility shifting, non-availability of soil/ aggregate, poor performance of contractors, environment/ forest/ wildlife clearances, Road Over Bridge (ROB) & Road Under Bridge (RUB) issues with Railways, public agitation for additional facilities, arbitration/ contractual disputes with contractors including hurdles in land acquisition.

 

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has taken the following remedial measures to expedite the land acquisition for road projects:

1. Determination of compensation for land acquisition for NHs in consonance with the applicable provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, w.e.f. 01.01.2015. The stipulations contained in the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 prescribes for:
   • The higher value amongst prevailing circle-rates or average of highest 50% of sales-transactions of past 03 years shall be the market value of land;
   • Value of land in rural areas is multiplied by a factor determined by the ‘appropriate’ Government; and,
   • Solatium @100% is payable on the sum of: (a) market value of land (multiplied by factor) and, (b) value of assets thereon (i.e. crops, trees, ponds, buildings, bore-wells, structures etc.);
   • Interest @ 12% per annum is paid on market value of land from date of 3A/ 3D Notification till the date of taking possession or payment of compensation, whichever is earlier.
2. Completion of major portion of land acquisition prior to initiation of bid;
3. Constitution of High Power Committee under Chief Secretary to resolve the issue related to land acquisition;
4. Delegation of powers to Regional Officers for speedier decision making;
5. Engagement of retired revenue personnel at Regional Officer/ Project Director level as well as at Competent Authority for Land Acquisition level to assist in Land Acquisition matters;
6. Introduction of Bhoomi Rashi portal for online submission of Land Acquisition notification for reducing the time in publication;
7. Regular review at the level of Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Chairman, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other senior officers;
8. Close coordination with other Ministries and State Governments;

 

This information was given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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