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Journalism of Courage
The deputy commissioners and police chiefs of the districts in Punjab where national highways are under construction reported a range of local challenges — from land disputes and compensation issues in Sangrur and Fazilka to possession delays and negotiations in Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, and Moga. They filed the report before the Punjab and Haryana High Court last week following criticism over repeated obstructions in the construction of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway and related highway corridors across Punjab. The court, during the hearing, directed the officials to hand over all land acquired for National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) projects without delay.
Sandeep Rishi, Deputy Commissioner, reported obstruction on a 70‑metre stretch in Jhaneri village, where farmers objected due to lack of approach to their remaining land and low compensation. He stated a notification for the approach road would be issued within two weeks, resolving the issue.
Viraj Shayamkarn Tidke, Deputy Commissioner, said that issues across 836 metres had largely been resolved, except for five locations where farmer protests continued. He sought 20 days to clear the remaining stretches.
Rahul, Deputy Commissioner, and Abhimanyu Rana, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), sought time until May 3 to hand over possession, citing standing crops and compensation disbursal issues. They affirmed continued efforts to support the NHAI.
Dalwinderjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, detailed ongoing work across multiple expressway packages. Hindrances stemmed from standing crops, partition-related disputes, and inadequate compensation. He reported progress following intervention meetings and sought four weeks to resolve pending issues.
Himanshu Jain, Deputy Commissioner, and Abhimanyu Rana, SSP (Rural), said around 86 per cent of land had been taken. Pending areas included stretches in Rajgarh and Kaind villages due to illegal occupation and demands for higher compensation. For the Ludhiana-Bathinda and Ludhiana-Rupnagar projects, officials cited resistance from farmer unions and ongoing arbitration as reasons for partial delays.
Himanshu Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, reported that land in Lohian Khas, Domana, Phull, and Gudhuwal was yet to be handed over. He committed to completing the process by April 30 after crop harvesting.
Amit Kumar Panchal, Deputy Commissioner, said only an 80‑metre stretch in village Meera remained. The possession was delayed due to the presence of a mint plant and machines. Notices had been issued, and possession was expected within four weeks.
Showkat Ahmad Parray, Deputy Commissioner, confirmed that all possession issues in the district had been resolved.
Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner, and Varinder Singh Brar, SSP, said a 1.77‑km stretch in Abohar-2 (Pakka Seed Farm) remained due to occupation by ‘Gair Marusi’ cultivators demanding compensation on a par with private owners. They expected to secure possession after crop harvest or through police assistance if needed.
T Benith, Deputy Commissioner, listed several meetings that were held between March 7 and 28 to resolve resistance in villages such as Badhata, Senha, and Ramgarh. The administration engaged directly with farmer unions and landowners and undertook repeated site visits to defuse opposition.
Sagar Setia, Deputy Commissioner, and Ajay Gandhi, SSP, reported that 98.06 km out of 99.9 km had been handed over. The pending 1.84 km included stretches affected by arbitration, lack of funds, and pending crop harvest. Authorities expected full possession by April 30.
No issues were reported from Hoshiarpur, Sri Muktsar Sahib, and one project site in Gurdaspur, where possession had already been completed.
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