NEW DELHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) may approach the state or the district authority not to allow sale-purchase of identified land and change in land use once the requisite approval is accorded to a road development project and alignment is finalised.
The authorities may also be requested to update the revenue maps or records of villages falling in the alignment or right of way.
These actions are part of the revised guidelines drafted by the NHAI to accelerate the approval for land acquisition and minimise the possibility of artificial rise in land cost or change in land done with ‘malafide intention to get higher compensation’.
According to the new process for approval of alignment and land acquisition plan (LAP) stipulated in the guidelines, a detailed project report (DPR) will be submitted in three alignments after consultation with all stakeholders to avoid objections at a later stage. The consultant or project director will need to consult National Highways Logistics Management (NHLML) to plan wayside amenities along the proposed alignments.
The project director subsequently will check the viability of alignments on Gati Shakti Portal. Verification through the Gati Shakti Portal will disclose whether the existing or proposed infrastructure development plan of other departments or ministries in the proposed right of way or its vicinity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched PM Gati Shakti NMP (National Master Plan) in October 2021 for multimodal connectivity infrastructure to various economic zones. It is a digital platform to bring 16 ministries together for integrated planning and coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
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“The concerned state government/ district authorities may concurrently be requested by RO/ PD (regional office/ project director) to update the revenue map/ records for villages for all three alignments which are falling in the approved alignment/ ROW… The concerned state government/ district authorities may also be requested by RO/ PD to stop the sale/purchase or change in land use once the LAC approval accorded,” read the guidelines.
The guidelines further say that for timely approval of alignment and LAP including land acquisition cost, the projects and approval of land acquisition committee must be taken by June 30 every year or within three months from the inclusion of the project in the scheme.
