Small businesses bear the brunt in Himachal

Pratibha Chauhan in Shimla & Ambika Sharma in Solan

The much-needed good road connectivity in the hill state might be a top priority of the Himachal government, but the churning caused by land acquisition has whipped up a public outcry over inadequate compensation. 

The thrust on four-laning and construction of national highways could well reduce the travel time to Shimla or Manali tremendously. But environment and legal wrangles persist. The fears about delay caused by public opposition and directives of the National Green Tribunal could make meeting the deadline impossible, resulting in huge cost escalation. 

The cash strapped Himachal Government has been confronted with angry protests and legal cases. “We are not in a position to pay the enhanced land compensation in case of state highways so it will be inappropriate to adopt different parameters in case of NH and state highways,” Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh told the Assembly. He rejected the Opposition demand to give higher compensation. 

A state with limited financial resources has only 18 National Highways with a total span of 2017.191 km. An additional seven NH’s have been declared during the last three years. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari’s announcement about 56 new NH (3759 km) for Himachal has come as a big relief. 

The social cost

The four-laning of NH-22 was meant to enhance the economic activity of the area. But the multifold rise in rentals of commercial buildings along the way threatens the survival of small businesses. 

A year after four-laning of the Parwanoo-Solan stretch began, this reality has dawned on several small traders who face displacement. As many as 421 people have so far been given a compensation of Rs 80.11 crore. But the administration is yet to dispense the entire amount to all the affected. 

“It will be very tough to eke out a living from the rented premises. The impact will be visible soon as landowners have already received notices to vacate the premises within 60 days,” says Naresh Gupta, a trader who was among the many others facing displacement at Dharampur.

Though villagers have been given double the amount of land price, the amount seems insufficient in view of the exorbitant cost of rehabilitation and uncertainty about the future.

The Rs 748-crore project envisages construction of 380 m flyover at Kumarhatti, four minor bridges with combined length of 99.35 m, two railway overbridges at Sanwara and Barog Bypass, two overpasses, one underpass and 825 m tunnel near Barog Bypass. 

As many as 21,585 trees, valued at about Rs 8.75 crore are being axed from the government land while another 5,756 trees would be axed on the private land acquired by the NHAI.