New route for Mohali airport: Landowners may get relief under fair compensation law

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, February 27

After landowners filed objections against its policy to acquire land for a shorter route to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, the UT Administration is now considering to acquiring land under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013.

LAND POOLING SCHEME

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The land pooling scheme offers owners residential or commercial plots in exchange of their land, presenting an alternative to the one-time monetary compensation under UT’s Negotiation Policy. The 2013 Act ensures relief based on the collector rate and provides a job for one family member.

The UT Administration has received a setback when nearly 80 landowners filed objections against the land acquisition process. They refused to comply with the UT’s Negotiation Policy of 2018 and insisted on Punjab or Haryana’s land pooling policy.

The objections were submitted to Land Acquisition Officer and were forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner and other senior officers for a final decision.

After receiving the objections, the Administration was mulling over acquiring land under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013, said a senior official. He, however, said a final decision would be taken soon, as the implementation of land pooling policy of other states was not possible in the city.

In November, UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit approved the acquisition of land for the project through UT’s Negotiation Policy of 2018. Subsequently, the Administration issued a compensation notification ranging from Rs 2.54 crore to Rs 3.34 crore per acre. However, the landowners have rejected this policy, advocating for land acquisition through Punjab or Haryana’s land pooling policy or the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013.

The Administration has planned to acquire 51 acres in Jagatpura and Khandala villages. The new road will start from the T-point of Vikas Marg. The current distance from this intersection to the airport is 11.5 km. The shorter route will reduce it to around 3.5 km.