Udaipur residents in Lahaul oppose road project, seek fair relief for land

Residents of Udaipur in Lahaul and Spiti district are opposing the acquisition of land for the widening of the Sansari-Killar-Thirot-Tandi road, a vital infrastructure project aimed at enhancing connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is overseeing the project while local people are demanding higher compensation for the acquisition of their land, citing disparities in the land value compared to in nearby areas.

Udaipur residents are divided over the project, which involves the acquisition of 12.04 bighas of private land. While some people have agreed to give their land voluntarily, particularly those with larger plots, others are resisting land acquisition. Many residents are concerned about their possible displacement and loss of agricultural land, which has been their livelihood for generations.

HR Gaur, a local resident, has raised concern over the stark difference in the circle rates of land in Udaipur and district headquarters Keylong. According to Gaur, the circle rate of land in Keylong is Rs 5 lakh per biswa, while in Udaipur, it is only Rs 1 lakh per biswa. As a result of this significant difference, the land in Udaipur is being acquired for the road project at a much lower cost.

Gopal Gaur, vice-pradhan of Udaipur gram panchayat, says that while some people are demanding that the road be realigned to minimise the impact of the project on land, a majority of local residents are okay with the project but seek a fair compensation for their land. A delegation of concerned citizens, led by Lahaul and Spiti MLA Anuradha Rana, had met Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu recently to apprise him of their demand for an increase in the circle rate at Udaipur to match that prevalent at Keylong.

He says that it is a strategically important road project, which will enhance tourist influx in the region in the near future. Former Minister Ram Lal Markanda has criticised the state government for initiating the land acquisition process in advance without obtaining the necessary no-objection certificate (NOC) from the gram sabha.

Gopal says that the state government should make the circle rates in the Lahaul valley uniform to provide a fair compensation to the families affected by the road project.