Farmers halt construction of Delhi-Amirtsar-Katra Expressway near Bathinda

Barnala: Farmers in Barnala district have blocked construction on a stretch of the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway, part of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, over compensation disputes.
The BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda) farmer group has staged a week-long sit-in near Sehna village
on the Bathinda-Ludhiana stretch of the expressway, demanding better compensation for land acquired for the project.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is offering Rs 58 lakh per acre for land
for the 200-foot-wide expressway. However, farmers argue the land, located near commercial areas, is worth around Rs 2 crore per acre. They also claim the acquisition will fragment their land, causing further loss.
Around 20 farmers, holding nearly 100 acres in Gehal, Bihla, Ramgarh, and Sehna villages, have rejected the compensation. While most affected farmers have accepted the NHAI offer, a handful of villages remain in protest.
BKU (Ekta-Dakaunda) leader Buta Singh Burjgill vowed the protest would continue until fair compensation is provided. "The land is in commercial zones, and Rs 58 lakh per acre is unjust," Burjgill said.
Kulwant Singh Randhawa, a local committee member, explained that while initially several villages were involved in the protest, the issue now affects only four to five villages in Barnala. Some farmers who took their cases to the court of the Patiala divisional commissioner received an increase in compensation, but it was still not enough to meet their demands.
Authorities are expected to meet with the farmers on Feb 22 to resolve the issue.
MSID:: 118385257 413 |
MSID:: 118385257 413 |