ADMINISTRATION DISBURSE NEARLY RS. 380 CRORE AS AWARD AGAINST ACQUIRED LAND UNDER THREE ONGOING HIGHWAY PROJECTS IN JALANDHAR

DC DIRECTS OFFICIALS TO SPEED UP DISBURSEMENT AND POSSESSION PROCEDURE TO ENSURE TIMELY EXECUTION OF ALL PROJECTS

EXHORTS LAND OWNERS TO RECEIVE DECLARED AWARDS AS THEY CAN ALWAYS FILE APPEALS TO ARBITRATOR FOR ENHANCEMENT EVEN AFTER GETTING COMPENSATION

JALANDHAR, MARCH 17-(STN) District Administration Jalandhar has so far disbursed awards worth Rs. 379.30 crore to land owners under three highway projects including Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, Jalandhar Bypass, and 4-laning of Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur NH-70.

Participating in a virtual review meeting, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said that all out efforts were being made to complete disbursement and possession procedure in a given time-frame so that all ongoing National Highway Projects could be completed smoothly. The DC further mentioned that under Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway project an amount of Rs. 23.94 crore has been disbursed by SDM Nakodar, Rs. 115.12 by SDM Jalandhar-2 and Rs. 27.24 crore by SDM Phillaur. Likewise, Rs. 83 crore and Rs. 130 crore have been disbursed under Jalandhar Bypass and four-laning of Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur National Highway-70 respectively.

Directing authorities concerned to further speed up disbursement and possession procedure in their respective jurisdiction under the ongoing highway projects, the DC said that no stone be left unturned to achieve this target within a fixed timeline. Sharing a significant development, Mr. Thori appealed to land owners to receive their awards against their acquired land as it has nothing to do with land enhancement adding that the land owners can always file appeals to arbitrators for land enhancement even after receiving their awards. He stated that the acceptance of award and land enhancement are separate issues as one can go to an arbitrator seeking enhancement in award in spite of receiving the award.

Meanwhile, he further directed the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALAs) to invoke section 3E2 to take possession of acquired land as the section clarifies that the possession of acquired land can be taken by the authorities concerned with the help of Police force. He asked the CALAs to inform their designated Police counterparts where possession was still pending so that the entire acquisition procedure could be furnished at the earliest.

Reiterating his commitment to accord top priority to ongoing projects, the DC asked the officials to fast track disbursement and possession procedure so as to assist the NHAI in these projects. He highlighted that the completion of these projects would not only facilitate the people of Jalandhar but also benefit the commuters of nearby states passing through Jalandhar, thereby, it was need of the hour to expedite the pending disbursement and possession in their respective jurisdictions.