CHENNAI: State Highways Minister EV Velu on Tuesday urged officials to expedite pending land acquisition work for State highway projects. “After funds were sanctioned, the delay in paying it to landowners resulted in the government paying interest for the money.
Delay increases acquisition cost year after year,” said Velu, while presiding a meeting on acquisition for highways projects on Tuesday. Around 802 hectares of land was acquired this year and Rs 1731.40 crore was paid as compensation to landowners, said Velu. “The government gave approval for creating five special land acquisition and management units under DROs and 18 units under tahsildars to expedite ongoing work,” he said,