Lok Sabha Question No. 960 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-27
Subject: Land Acquisition for National Highways
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Imtiaz Jaleel Syed, Asaduddin Owaisi, Ramapati Ram Tripathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 960

ANSWERED ON 27 TH  JUNE, 2019

## LAND ACQUISITION FOR NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

960. SHRI SYED IMTIAZ JALEEL: SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI: DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सडक परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  land  acquisition  cost  has  increased  threefold  as  compared  to  last  year  for national highways and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the extent to which the target of these projects are likely to be hit as a results of the same and the steps taken or being taken by the Government to achieve the target;
- (c) if  so,  the  funds  required  by  the  Government  for  completion  of  Bharatmala  Pariyojana, NHDP and other highway projects;
- (d) the details of the national highway projects stalled due to requirement of the land during the last three years and  current year,  State/UT-wise  and  the  steps  taken  by  the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  issue  directions  to  the  concerned  States  to acquire the land for road projects in order to avoid heavy traffic on junctions/ toll plazas and to provide space for plantation for road projects and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the acquisition of land is likely to be done on the basis of population of that area and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) and (b) Yes, Sir. Comparative analysis of annual pay-outs of land acquisition reveals that the amount of compensation has increased from 2014-15 onwards consequent upon implementation of Right to Fair  Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation  and  Resettlement  (RFCTLARR) Act,  2013  as  compared  to  previous  years.  This increase has occurred due to following stipulations contained in the RFCTLARR Act, 2013 for determination of compensation: (i) The higher value amongst prevailing circle-rates or average of highest 50% of sales-transactions of past 03 years shall be the market value of land;

(ii)  Value  of  land  in  rural  areas  are  multiplied  by  a  factor  determined  by  the  'appropriate' Government; and,

(iii) Solatium @100% is payable on the sum of: (a) market value of land (multiplied by factor) and, (b) value of assets thereon (i.e. crops, trees, ponds, buildings, bore-wells, structures etc);

(iv) Interest @ 12% per annum is paid on market value of land from date of 3A / 3D Notification till the date of taking possession or payment of compensation, whichever is earlier.

As a result, some road projects of the Ministry have been delayed/stalled. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has taken following steps to expedite the process of land acquisition and completions of the project:

- i. Streamlining of land acquisition;
- ii. Dispute Resolution mechanism revamped;
- iii. Award  of  projects  after  adequate  preparation  in  terms  of  land  acquisition, clearances etc. Process of obtaining clearances from different Ministries/Department commence as soon as the alignment is finalized and final feasibility report is submitted;
- iv. Correctly  worked  out  utility  estimates  to  be  obtained  at  the  earliest  after  the alignment finalization and shall form part of appraisal proposal;
- v. The process of project appraisal commences at the earliest on receipt of the Final Detailed Project Report (DPR) and Technical schedules;
- vi. The procedure for General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) approved by Railways for ROBs  simplified and made  online. Maintenance charges which were hampering  the  progress  of  many  projects  stand  waived  by  railways.   Standard design put on website;
- vii. Close coordination with other Ministries and State Governments;
- viii. One-time fund infusion;
- ix. Completion of major portion of land acquisition prior to initiation of bid;
- x. Regular review at various levels;
- xi. Proposed exit for Equity Investors;
- xii. Securitization of road sector loans;
- xiii. Rationalize compensation for delays attributed to authority;

(c) Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved an outlay of Rs. 6,92,324 Crores for Bharatmala Pariyojana, NHDP and other highway projects.

(d) The  details  of  the  national  highway  projects  stalled  due  to  requirement  of  the  land  is Annexed. The steps taken by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways in this regard are as under:

- (i) Completion of major portion of land acquisition prior to initiation of bid;
- (ii) Constitution of High Power Committee under Chief Secretary to resolve the issue related to land acquisition;
- (iii) Delegation of powers to Regional Officers for speedier decision making;
- (iv) Engagement  of  retired  revenue  personnel  at  Regional  Officer/  Project  Director level  as  well  as  at  Competent  Authority  for  Land  Acquisition  level  to  assist  in Land Acquisition matters;
- (v) Introduction  of  BhoomiRashi  portal  for  online  submission  of  Land  Acquisition notification for reducing the time in publication;
- (vi) Regular review at the level of Hon'ble Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Secretary,  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  &  Highways  and  Chairman,  National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other senior officers;
- (vii) Close coordination with other Ministries and State Governments;
- (viii)  Issues are also resolved through Project Monitoring Group and Pragati Portal.

(e) and (f) No,  Sir.  At  present,  there  is  no  such  proposal  is  under  consideration  before Ministry  of  Road  Transport  &  Highways.  Land  is  acquired  /  procured  for  the  building, maintenance,  management  and  operation  of  National  Highways  under  Section  3  of  National Highways  Act,  1956  and  /  or  in  accordance  with  the  existing  Acts  /  Rules/  Policies  of  the concerned States, on the basis of approved road alignment.

## Annexure

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (D) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  960  ANSWERED  ON  27.06.2019  ASKED  BY  SHRI  SYED  IMTIAZ JALEEL  AND  OTHERS  REGARDING  LAND  ACQUISITION  FOR  NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

Details of the national highway projects stalled due to requirement of the land

| S.No.   | State/Agency      |   Number of Projects stalled |
|---------|-------------------|------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    |                            2 |
| 2       | A & N Island      |                            0 |
| 3       | Arunachal Pradesh |                            0 |
| 4       | Assam             |                           10 |
| 5       | Bihar             |                            2 |
| 6       | Chhattisgarh      |                            0 |
| 7       | Delhi             |                            0 |
| 8       | Goa               |                            5 |
| 9       | Gujarat           |                            0 |
| 10      | Haryana           |                            0 |
| 11      | Himachal Pradesh  |                            1 |
| 12      | Jammu & Kashmir   |                            0 |
| 13      | Jharkhand         |                            3 |
| 14      | Karnataka         |                            5 |
| 15      | Kerala            |                            0 |
| 16      | Madhya Pradesh    |                            1 |
| 17      | Maharashtra       |                            8 |
| 18      | Manipur           |                            0 |
| 19      | Meghalaya         |                            0 |
| 20      | Mizoram           |                            4 |
| 21      | Nagaland          |                            0 |
| 22      | Odisha            |                            2 |
| 23      | Puducherry        |                            1 |
| 24      | Punjab            |                            5 |
| 25      | Rajasthan         |                            2 |
| 26      | Sikkim            |                            3 |
| 27      | Tamil Nadu        |                            0 |
| 28      | Telangana         |                            1 |
| 29      | Tripura           |                            0 |
| 30      | Uttar Pradesh     |                            0 |
| 31      | Uttarakhand       |                            0 |
| 32      | West Bengal       |                            6 |
| 33      | NHAI              |                           48 |
|         | TOTAL             |                          109 |

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