Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Feb 8: The land acquisition process for the four-lane expansion of National Highway 169, connecting Bikarnakatte in Mangaluru to Sanur village in Karkala via Moodbidri, is underway. A compensation amount of Rs 585 crore has been distributed to around 1,534 applicants.
Except for the dispute in Padavu village, which remains under litigation, the land acquisition process in 19 other villages has been completed. The 3D process has been finalised, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has released a total compensation of Rs 744 crore.
Moodbidri Junction (file photo)
Previously, the Karnataka High Court had issued a stay order on compensation payments for certain villages, including Kudupu, Thiruvail, Tenka Ulipady, Tenka Edapadavu, and Tenka Mijaru. However, the restriction was limited to the lands of the petitioners, and with the removal of the stay on other properties, compensation has now been disbursed to the eligible landowners.
As the land acquisition process concludes, affected landowners are applying for compensation with the required documents at the office of the special land acquisition officer of NHAI. After verification, the compensation amount is transferred directly to their bank accounts via RTGS.
Some landowners had initially refrained from accepting compensation, citing low valuation. However, most have now accepted their compensation, and some have also filed appeals with the district commissioner’s court for a higher settlement.
Apart from Padavu village, the land acquisition process from Kudupu to Sanur has been completed. Officials are conducting adalats (public hearings) in each village, where landowners present their RTC, encumbrance certificates, and other property documents before signing the required papers. The compensation is then transferred directly through the Bhoomi Rashi portal.
"The compensation process is being carried out smoothly, with direct transfers to landowners who submit the necessary documents and sign the agreements," said Mohammed Issac, special land acquisition officer.
The 45-km Mangaluru-Karkala highway project has been a long-pending demand. The four-lane expansion, undertaken by Dilip Buildcon Ltd from Bhopal, is being executed at an estimated cost of Rs 1,137 crore. The project requires a total of 222.11 hectares of land, including 85.6 hectares of government land and 29 hectares of existing highway land, with the remaining being acquired from private owners.
For Padavu village, which covers a 2.5-km stretch from Bikarnakatte via Kulasekhara to Baithurli, a proposal was submitted to release Rs 286.58 crore as compensation for 3.74 hectares of land. Though approved by the district commissioner, the NHAI contested the valuation as excessive and moved the matter to court, where it is currently under trial.
Meanwhile, the land acquisition dispute involving the Rosa Mystica Educational Institution ground near Kaikamba remains in court. The relocation of Pourakarmika (civic worker) houses and the Koragajja shrine at Vamanjoor is still pending, with the municipal corporation planning to shift them to an alternate location.
The four-lane construction is progressing rapidly, including two bypasses, a flyover at Kaikamba, a new bridge at Gurupura, and multiple underpasses.