Udaipur residents divided over land acquisition for road project
Residents of Udaipur panchayat in Lahaul and Spiti district are divided over the land to be acquired for the widening of the Sansari-Killar-Thirot-Tandi (SKTT) road, a strategic project aimed at improving connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is executing the project, sparking a heated debate among locals.
The controversy centres around the acquisition of 12.04 bighas of private land for the road’s expansion. While the owners of seven bighas have agreed to the acquisition, the rest of the landowners, particularly those with small plots, are opposing the project. Many of these settlers, owning no more than three to four biswa, fear displacement and the loss of their agricultural land and ancestral homes.
A special gram sabha had recently issued a consent letter for the project’s approval, with a majority of participants supporting land acquisition on the current alignment of the road. Of the total 71 participants, 47 had favored the acquisition, while 24 raised objections.
According to Lakshman Thakur, pradhan of Udaipur gram panchayat, most of the residents are in favour of maintaining the current road alignment, which will result in the acquisition of less land.
However, other villagers argues that the current road alignment bypasses the Mrikula Mata temple. The redesign will potentially lead to the acquisition of more fertile agricultural land, including plots owned by marginal farmers. The redesign will most likely enhance the land acquisition requirement from 12.04 bighas to around 25 bighas, a change that many agricultural landowners fear can disrupt their livelihoods.
The compensation for the land acquired under the current alignment is fixed at Rs 100,000 per biswa for the land located 100 metres from the state highway. In contrast, the redesign will offer a lower compensation of Rs 50,000 per biswa, which farmers deem unfair.
Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana has assured villagers that efforts will be made to save the Udaipur market from damage due to the road project. ition for road project
