Villages sleepless as Jogi dreams for capital unfold

The new capital project, to be developed in an area spread across 5,000 hectare between Mandir Hasaud and Abhanpur, is proposed to be completed by the year 2030 and the total cost is estimated to work out to nearly Rs 20,500 crore.

The project is to be developed in three phases and in the first phase, the new capital complex will be built. The complex, comprising the State Secretariat, Vidhan Sabha, Raj Bhawan and Police Headquarters, is to be built in a 229-hectare area and is estimated to cost Rs 4,550 crore.

With as many as 26 villages to be affected by the project and three of them to come under the new capital complex, there is fear of possible displacement of the villagers.

‘‘What we want is that no family should be displaced. But if the government has to acquire land, it should be bought from the villagers at the market rate. The money should be paid in cash and before taking over the land,’’ says Lalit Sharma, a local leader.

The government, however, has assured that there will be no displacement of villagers. ‘‘None of the villagers will need to be displaced as there is enough vacant government land and privately owned land outside the villages to meet our requirements,’’ says Revenue Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The villagers, as of now, are waiting for the developments.