KARIMNAGAR: Residents and farmers of several villages, including Singapur, Rampur, Peddapapaiahpalli, Kothapalle and Rangpur, are opposing a proposed bypass road plan as they stand to lose their lands if it is implemented. The government has already started acquiring land for laying a 13.5 km bypass road between Singapur and Penchikalpet as part of NH-563 expansion from Jagtial to Khammam.
The residents of these villages erected banners at several places, making it clear that they are not willing to sacrifice their “fertile lands” for laying the bypass road. R Raj Kumar, a resident of Kothapalle, said that they will be left with no source of income if they sacrifice their lands.
“In the past, some farmers didn’t take up cultivation on these lands due to lack of irrigation water. Now, the situation is different. Water is available. However, in the name of road construction, fertile lands are being acquired. Small and marginal farmers will suffer. If we lose these lands, we will be left with no source of income,” he said.
K Sugunakar Reddy, who is from Singapur village of Huzurabad mandal, said: “The open market value of these lands is around Rs 1 crore per acre. But, the government is giving only around Rs 8 lakh per acre while acquiring land for the proposed bypass road.”
“A few people’s representatives from the ruling BRS, in an attempt to protect their lands, have changed the alignment of the bypass road,” he alleged.“In Singapur alone, we will be losing around 50 acres of land for this project. We want the authorities to change the alignment or withdraw the proposal. Otherwise, we will lose our livelihood. We won’t give up our lands at any cost,” said the local farmers.