VIJAYAWADA: Chief Secretary K Vijayanand has instructed District Collectors, Joint Collectors, and officials from relevant departments to expedite land acquisition for the construction and expansion of national highway projects across the State.
During a video conference held from the Secretariat on Tuesday, Vijayanand addressed District Collectors, Joint Collectors, and officials from the Revenue, Forest, Transport, R&B, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The meeting focused on resolving pending issues related to highway construction, bypass roads, forest permissions, and other challenges.
The Chief Secretary emphasised the importance of completing land acquisition for priority road projects, including national highways, at the earliest. He urged officials to ensure that land is handed over to construction agencies promptly to avoid delays.
“Compensation to farmers must be provided as per land acquisition rules, and the process should be completed within the stipulated time,” Vijayanand stressed. He also directed all departments to work in close coordination to address related issues promptly.
CCLA G Jayalakshmi, Principal Secretary (Transport & R&B) Kantilal Dande, Additional PCCF Rahul Pandey, NHAI Regional Officer RK Singh, and Regional Officer Rakesh Kumar from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways were present.