CS for timely disposal of land acquisition cases of NH-1A

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Chief Secretary Mr. S. S. Kapoor has exhorted upon the Officers to expedite process of land acquisition cases for 4-lanning of National Highway 1-A from Lakhanpur to Srinagar. He also emphasized on finalization of paper for the forest land under wild life sanctuaries falling under various stretches of NH-1A for early clearance from Ministry of Environment at Forest (MOE&F).

Mr. Kapoor said this in an officers meeting convened here this morning to review the land acquisition, disbursement of compensation, shifting of utilities and other issues of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Among others, Principal Secretary PDD Mr. B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary PHE, Mr. Ashok Angurana, Commissioner-Secretary R&B, Mr. Mahboob Iqbal, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Ms. Naseema Larkar, Secretary Revenue Ejaz Iqbal, Project National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Col. M. K. Jain, Special Secretary, Forest and Environment, Mr. Tushar Sharma, Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. Suresh Chug, Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Mr. Sanjeev Verma and Deputy Commissioner Samba, Mr. Saurabh Bhagat were present in the meeting.

The Chief Secretary directed the NHAI authorities for completing the tendering process for all the stretches of the NH-IA for which 80 percent of the land has been acquired and enjoined upon the revenue authorities for early disposal of land acquisition cases and works must not suffer for want of land. He directed the Deputy Commissioner Kathua to sort out the pending land acquisition issues from Lakhanpur to Bhai Nallah stretch. Deputy Commissioner Samba was directed to complete the land acquisition process for the approach roads of Basanter Bridge within a week.

Mr. Kapoor also reviewed the status of land acquisition and disbursement of compensation of the land falling under the streches from Udhampur to Ramban, Ramban to Qazigund, Qazigund to Anantnag- Anantnag to Srinagar and Budgam.

It was apprised in the meeting that the total length of the National Highway entrusted to NHAI in the state is 396 kms from Lakhanpur to Srinagar. Out of this, only 114 km section of NH-1A costing of Rs. 592 crore as a part of North South Corridor under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-II has been taken up for 4 laning. This whole 396 km highway has been divided into various stretches which involved thousands hectares of land acquisition. It was also apprised that an amount of Rs. 277.99 crore stand deposited with the Dy. Commissioners of nine districts for disbursement to the concerned land owners.