Singrauli: 2,500 new houses along the highway II VYGR

Madhya Pradesh: In Singrauli, a large-scale swindle has surfaced along the highway. In just a few of months, approximately 2,500 new 'houses' have sprouted up in the planned route of the Singrauli-Prayagraj highway, which is starting to make its way through 33 villages in the area.

The clear reason for this is that when a house is constructed on farmland, the compensation is increased substantially in comparison to the land's purchase price.

National Highway 135-C, which would link Singrauli and Prayagraj, is being built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). After the survey was finished, the area saw the emergence of a compensation scheme. As a result, several improvised buildings have been constructed next to the roadway in an attempt to demand substantial reimbursements from the government.

Furthermore, despite a ban on new construction or land deals in the areas designated for compensation following a survey in March, these structures are allegedly being built in cooperation with local officials and brokers, who will receive the majority of the cut, in what is now being referred to as a "compensation industry" in the area. The new buildings that are appearing on farms in MP's Singrauli are more often than not, merely four-feet-high walls—too short even for kids—capped with a tin roof.

Increased land price and rehabilitation packages

Land in the highway's path was being sold for ₹ 8,000 per decimal, or 435.6 square feet, or one-hundredth of an acre, before the survey for the project; this has since increased to ₹ 80,000.

Rehabilitation package: According to official sources, there are different compensation packages for the land, but if a house is built on the land and someone lives there, a rehabilitation package has to be given. This involves giving a family member a job and offering a place to live elsewhere. Furthermore, distinct compensation is provided for each of the following: trees, a bore well, and a hand pump located on the property.

The villagers allege that the brokers have been mediating deals between local landowners and people from other areas, even entire states. These agreements, which are sometimes formalized on stamp paper, specify that the original landowners will receive 20% of the compensation amount, with the remaining 80% going to the people building the house. This "industry" has spread to other regions as well, such as the Singrauli-Lalitpur Railway Line, which is currently under development.

No compensation for the new houses

According to Suresh Jadha, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Singrauli, "The highway, 135 C, would be built beneath the district's Chitrangi block, and 70 km of it will pass through 33 villages in the district. The department has estimated ₹ 759 crore for this stretch. 500 old houses were discovered after a collaborative survey. 3,200 new homes have been built, and those will not receive compensation."

Inputs: Agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies