Question : LAND ACQUISITION FOR ROAD PROJECTS

(a) the details of the National Highway road projects stalled for want of land during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(b) whether the Government has taken any steps in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government has any plan to direct the State Governments to specify for acquisition of land for road projects to avoid congestion at junctions/toll plazas and to provide space for tree plantation;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether the acquisition of land will be made on the basis of the population of the area and if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI SARVEY SATHYANARAYANA)

(a) Land acquisition is one of the factors contributing to delay in implementation of some projects under National Highways Development Project (NHDP). Details of such projects came to standstill due to delay in land acquisition is placed at Annexure.

(b) National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up the issue with the State Governments for expediting the land acquisition matters. Regular meetings have been held at higher levels for speeding up the acquisition of land. The other measures taken up includes Constitution of High Powered Committee under the Chief Secretary of the State Governments; Setting up of Regional Offices headed by Chief General Manager level officers of NHAI; Decentralisation of the financial powers; Strengthening the infrastructure and manpower resources to the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition in the respective States and Project Implementation Units of NHAI; and Setting up of Special Land Acquisition Units in some of the States.

(c) and (d) Land is acquired under the provisions of National Highways (NH) Act, 1956 by the Government on the basis of Feasibility Study Report, Detailed Project Report, Detailed Alignment Study of the particular project wherein provisions of junctions and toll plazas are designed based on technical parameters including traffic projection.

(e) While deciding alignments for development of National Highways, efforts are made to minimise impact on the population as much as it is practicable and possible. Moreover, bulk acquisition of land is not required in any particular area in linear projects like highways.