Haryana’s new payout rules for high-voltage tower bases: How landowners can now get 200% compensation

The new policy takes effect immediately and applies prospectively to all transmission projects, including ongoing works that are not yet completed. It is applicable to all intra-state transmission lines of 66kV and above, whether constructed by HVPNL, PGCIL, other central or state agencies, or private entities.

Compensation for crop damage

The policy introduces a detailed framework for compensating farmers whose crops are affected at various stages of transmission line installation. “Compensation will be payable at three critical stages: during the casting of tower foundations, the erection of transmission towers, and the stringing of conductors,” it states.

To receive payment, “farmers must obtain a certificate from the Patwari or any higher-ranking revenue department officer in the area”.

“The certificate will include essential details such as the farmer’s name, the affected land area in acres, the type of crop damaged, yield calculations, and the rate of the crop. The final compensation is calculated based on the area of crops damaged, crop yield per acre, and the applicable rate per acre. Payments will be transferred directly to the farmer’s bank account”.

Compensation for land value reduction

Beyond crop damage, the policy also addresses compensation for the “diminution of land value caused by the installation of transmission towers”. These provisions are applicable “only for Intra-State Transmission System lines of 66kV or above, excluding sub-transmission and distribution lines”.

The compensation for land value reduction will generally be “determined using Circle rates, Collector rates, or Stamp Act guideline values”. However, “if the prevailing market rate exceeds these official rates, a Market Rate Committee (MRC) chaired by the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner will determine the applicable rate based on recommendations from independent land valuers”.

The policy specifies that the tower base area, defined as the area enclosed by the four legs of the tower plus a one-meter extension on each side, will be compensated at 200 per cent of the determined land value. For the Right of Way (RoW) corridor, compensation varies according to land type: 30 per cent of land value in rural areas; 60 per cent in municipal corporations and metropolitan areas; and 45 per cent in municipalities, nagarpanchayats, and other urban planning areas.

Urban areas are defined under the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, and the Town & Country Planning Department’s opinion is final in any dispute.

Right-of-Way restrictions and technologies

The notification also clarifies that “no construction is permitted within the RoW of transmission lines”. In areas with RoW constraints, the policy encourages the use of alternative technologies such as “narrow-based lattice towers, steel pole structures, compact towers with insulated cross-arms, underground XLPE cables, and High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems, among others, to minimise land usage and optimise space”.

Landowner identification and payment process

During project execution, a check survey will document landowners whose property falls within the transmission line corridor, in accordance with the Central Electricity Authority’s regulations. “Compensation is a one-time, upfront payment, transferred directly to the entitled person’s bank account based on certification by the Patwari or a senior Revenue Department officer, officials explained.

Shyamal Misra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department, emphasised the importance of the policy in ensuring fair and transparent compensation for landowners while supporting the development of the state’s power infrastructure. “This framework balances the interests of landowners with the state’s need to expand and modernise its transmission network,” Misra said.