Land acquisition delays Parwanoo-Solan 4-lane highway

Shimla: Award of contract for executing the 4 land Parwanoo-Solan highway that should have got underway by March stands delayed as the National Highway Authority of India has not been able to complete the land acquisition process and award the contract.

“There are some delays,” says Devraj, chief general manager NHAI who is based in Chandigarh. “We are ready to start the contract awarding process as soon as the site is free of encumbrances,” he said.

Sources disclosed that NHAI made a detailed presentation before the chief secretary and other senior officials about the critical infrastructure project recently.

An official privy to the issue said, “some people whose land or property is to be acquired for construction of the super-highway have raised objections but by and large most issues related to land acquisition have been cleared. The delay could be by another 6 months.”

Objections have mainly been raised by residents of Dharampur, Kumarhatti and Solan, whose built up property is likely to be demolished to make path for the highway. There are many houses and shops along the proposed highway in these townships that would need to be demolished, he said.

However, the acquisition land width has been reduced from 45 to 32 meters in populated areas so as to reduce the impact on people likely to affected.

Principal secretary PWD, PC Kapoor says, “besides some having raised objections, terms of the contract not being finalized is another reason for delay incurring.”

To be built as toll expressway on a build operate transfer (BOT), the Parwanoo-Solan highway is being considered essential infrastructure project by the state government that would ease the heavy traffic movement on the existing National Highway – 22.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.

Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.