Koraput: The Bharatmala Pariyojana, a Centre-funded road and highways project, has hit a roadblock in Koraput district with land owners warning to scuttle work if they are not paid the actual price of their land to be acquired, a report said.
The matter came to the fore at a meeting of the stakeholders. The meeting was held under the aegis of Bharatmala Jami Surakshya Committee, an outfit under which land losers have come together to protect their cause.
Reports said the present distance between Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh is 514km. The distance will be reduced by 50 km when the highway project is implemented.
After passing 124 km in Chhattisgarh, the highway will enter Nabarangpur. The highway will pass through Nabarangpur for 115km before entering Koraput district.
There it will pass through Borigumma, Dasamantpur, Koraput, Semiliguda and Pottangi tehsils before entering Andhra Pradesh.
Experts have claimed the project will usher in a chain of prosperity and progress for Koraput district as the project is included in the economic corridor scheme of the Centre.
Hundreds of people in the above tehsil areas will have to part with their lands. Sarat Chandra Buruda, convener of the committee presided in the meeting.
Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Jeypore MLA, Babula Benia, MP nominee, Lakshmi Hanjria, sarpanch of Padmapur panchayat, Taidu Dora, convener of Dora community, Jagdish Khosla, Zilla Parishad member and Prem Kandpan attended the meeting and demanded that actual price of the land be paid to the land losers.
The issue of land price has sparked resentment among people. Buruda warned that they would resort to an agitation if their pleas are not addressed in time.
Bahinipati warned that the under-construction road in Bharatmala project was not for poor people for which he will make a demand in the State Assembly for payment of actual price of land. Bahinipati was elected as the new president of the outfit.
PNN
