Fix anomalies in land acquisition and disparities in compensation for Malpe-Karavali Junction NH 169A widening, Shobha tells officials

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday, February 15, directed officials concerned to immediately rectify anomalies in finalising land acquisition and fixing compensation for widening Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A between Malpe and Udupi.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shobha Karandlaje on Thursday, February 15, directed officials concerned to immediately rectify anomalies in finalising land acquisition and fixing compensation for widening Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A between Malpe and Udupi.

Chairing a national highway works review meeting in Udupi, the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP said she had received many complaints from affected landowners that the final location surveys were not done scientifically. Also, there were disparities in the compensation fixed, she said.

These issues should be settled immediately, the Minister told officials of the National Highways Division of the State Public Works Department. Officials from the departments concerned, PWD, Agriculture, Horticulture etc., should go as a team for finalising the acquisition and fix the compensation as per the prevailing market rates, she said.

Ms. Karandlaje said there were many complaints about traffic congestion on the Karavali Junction-Malpe stretch of NH 169A because of the narrow stretch. The acquisition therefore should be completed at the earliest to facilitate the four-lane work.

The Minister also directed the National Highways Authority of India to expedite the vehicular underpass construction work at Kallianapura-Santhekatte Junction on NH 66 and complete it before the onset of monsoon. NH-PWD too should complete the widening of NH 169A between Parkala and Hebri before the rains start, she said.

The meeting witnessed heated arguments by landowners of Karavali Junction-Malpe stretch, who alleged anomalies and disparities in the survey and fixing the compensation.

MLA Yashpal Suvarna, Udupi District Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari, Kundapura Assistant Commissioner S. Rashmi, NHAI Mangaluru Project Director Abdulla Javed Azmi, NH-PWD Assistant Executive Engineer K.V. Manjunath, and others were present.