Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has ordered the officials to expedite land acquisition and the payment of compensation for the construction of national highways. The Chief Minister warned of stringent action against authorities if there is any delay in completion of the highway projects.
The CM held a high level review of the construction of national highways, permissions and approval of new proposals with the officials on Monday.
Revanth Reddy questioned the NHAI officials for raising new issues while resolving every issue in the construction of Regional Ring Road (RRR) North. The CM advised the officials to send all the doubts and queries at once. NHAI officials briefed the CM that the authorities had discussed the issues and they will bring to the notice of the government the doubts, if any.
The CM appealed to the NHAI officials to immediately grant permissions for RRR North and South and to cooperate in starting the work of both simultaneously. The NHAI officials expressed their willingness to accept the CM’s request for the approval of the RRR South alignment immediately.
CM Revanth Reddy also advised the NHAI officials to immediately grant permissions for the Bharat Future City-Amaravati-Machilipatnam 12-lane greenfield highway. The government envisaged plans to develop a Dry Port, Logistics Park and Industrial Park in Bharat Future City, the CM said that the Greenfield highway will connect the two capital cities of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh which provides convenience to the transport of goods and passengers. The Greenfield highway will also reduce distance between Hyderabad and Vijaywada by 70 km and generate more revenues than any other national highway in the country.
Reminding the construction of greenfield highway between two states was assured in the AP Reorganization act, the Chief Minister said that required permissions should be given under PM Gatishakti or any other scheme along with the finalization of the alignment. The state government also requested the sanction of a railway line between Bengaluru – Shamshabad Airport – Amaravati, parallel to greenfield highway, which is suitable for running trains including Vande Bharat to earn profits,the CM said.
Reviewing the status of pending highways, CM Revanth Reddy sought immediate approval for the elevated corridor between Raviryal and Mannanur on the Hyderabad-Srisailam route. Since a large number of devotees from Hyderabad visit Srisailam temple, Srisailam reservoir and Tiger Forest regularly, the CM instructed the NHAI officials to immediately grant necessary approvals for the elevated corridor and take steps to start the work immediately. State Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao was ordered to take immediate action to resolve the case pending in the NGT regarding the removal of Banyan trees on Hyderabad-Manneguda road.
In a video conference with the district Collectors, the Chief Minister enquired about the delay in land acquisition and compensation for the proposed national highways.
The Chief Minister instructed the Chief Secretary to prepare a report on all the cases pending in the districts, discuss them with the Advocate General within a week and take steps to resolve them. When the CM enquired the delay in the payment of compensation, the collectors brought to the CM’s attention that there was a delay in the release of funds from the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition. Responding to this, NHAI officials said that they are releasing funds after the lists are uploaded and the collectors should do that work quickly.
The CM warned the collectors that the government will not tolerate any delay in this matter and ordered to complete the arbitration cases in land acquisition immediately and upload the lists on time. The CM also instructed the collectors to complete the land acquisition and payment of compensation by the end of October. The collectors, RDOs and Tahsildars who show negligence in land acquisition and compensation payment will be removed from the services, the CM warned.
CM Revanth Reddy also reviewed the complaints lodged by the Forest and Environment Department in the construction of national highways. The Chief Minister said that alternative land will be given to forest development. If necessary, the CM said he will personally meet Union Minister of National Highways Nitin Gadkari and Union Minister of Forest and Environment Bhupender Yadav in this regard.
