BERHAMPUR: The district administration will acquire 169.19 acre of private land for the proposed 46.83 km ring road project on the outskirts of the Silk City under Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
This was decided at a meeting presided over by Ganjam Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange at Chhatrapur. The move came after private landowners of 13 villages insisted to sell their lands at higher rates.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 29.05 crore for acquiring private land for the ring road project. Proposed in 2016, the project has been divided into three stretches - 13.68 km from Raghunathpur to Ratnapur, the work of which has been entrusted with National Highways Authority of India, 15.35 km from Ratnapur to Haldiapadar and 17.80 km from Haldiapadar to Raghunathpur, both to be taken up by the Public Works Department (PWD).
Around 198.37 acre including 169.19 acre of privately-owned and 29.18 acre of government land is required for the ring road project which aims to ease the traffic flow in the city during peak hours. After completion, the ring road will also provide a route to Haldiapadar Bus Terminus.
The plan and detailed project report (DPR) has already been prepared. The Superintending Engineer of PWD informed that the tender of four-laning of 5 km of the total 46.83 km road project has been finalised.
Earlier, inhabitants 13 villages had agreed to sell their lands to the Government for construction of the ring road. But later, they refused to part with their land at the old rate after the State Government increased the benchmark value of land in Berhampur.
The private landowners are now demanding high price leading to a stalemate between them and the district administration.