JEYPORE: Work on the bypass road project on National Highway-26 in Jeypore has come to a standstill due to land compensation disputes.
Nearly 40 per cent of the project, intended to ensure smooth traffic movement between Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, remains incomplete as several landowners are opposing the compensation fixed for their acquired land, demanding higher rates.
According to sources, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had sanctioned Rs 67 crore around three years ago for construction of the 4.92-km-long bypass road from Gateguda to Umuri. For the project, the district administration acquired 2.90 hectare of government land and 17.57 hectare of private land belonging to 121 individuals.
The bypass road passes through Gateguda, Dhubuli, Makaput and Umuri, and connects NH-26 with the Umuri railway bridge. While 2.92 km of the road has already been completed, work on the remaining 2-km stretch has come to a standstill due to stiff opposition from around 15 landowners. They have refused to hand over their land, objecting to the compensation rates fixed by the government.
The affected landowners are demanding compensation based on the prevailing market value, reportedly as high as `10 crore per hectare, which they claim is significantly higher than the rates fixed by the administration. They have declined to accept the compensation offered and have approached various forums, arguing that they purchased the land at high prices, whereas the government valuation accounts for only 5 to 10 per cent of the current market rate.
Due to the delay in completion of the bypass road, heavy traffic continues to pass through Jeypore town. More than 5,000 vehicles ply through the town daily, often leading to severe congestion, particularly between the Jeypore private bus stand and Barniput.
Contacted, executive engineer of Jeypore NH division Gourang Majhi said, “Efforts are being continuously made to resolve the land-related issues and complete the project at the earliest.”