Move to avoid last-minute hurdles in implementation of projects The lack of a clear-cut policy on land acquisition has been delaying implementation of development projects in the city. To avoid the last minute rush to get the land required for development purposes,the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has directed all its departments to prepare a list of priority projects it plans to execute in the next few years so that the land can be acquired in advance. "The process of land acquisition takes time and it becomes difficult to get the land possession from the owners at the last minute," said Sudhakar Telang,deputy municipal commissioner (Land Acquisition). There are many hurdles in acquiring land,he said,adding that if the land owner refuses to give possession then the process gets extended and it is indefinitely delayed if the owner takes the matter to court. In cases where the landowner agrees to hand over possession,the PMC has to address the problem of encroachers on the land,said Telang. "Therefore,to avoid the delay in implementation of projects due to failure of acquiring land in time a policy has been framed by the civic body for the first time," he said. All the departments have been directed to prepare a priority list of its development projects and submit it to the land acquisition department for further action. Further,to speed up the process,every department has been urged to appoint a dedicated officer for doing a follow-up of the the land acquisition for its infrastructure projects. "A dedicated officer of the concerned department has to constantly keep track on the acquisition of land as our department deals with demands of all other departments and cannot focus on one," he said. Accordingly,the roads department and the garden department of the civic body,that normally has large demands for land acquisition has appointed junior engineers for the purpose,Telang said. The PMC is yet to complete the various JNNURM road development works across the city as they have failed to acquire the land required for the purpose. "Small portions of the road development in many areas are incomplete as the land acquisition process is stuck due to owners approaching the court," a PMC roads department officer said.
