Seven Sonepat village residents, administration agree on project

Our Correspondent

Sonepat, April 19

Opposition of farmers from seven villages in the district against the construction of Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal Expressway in the Rai region ended today after the administration accepted all their demands at a meeting.

As per the agreement between the administration and farmers, the farmers of seven villages will get compensation of Rs 71.5 lakh per acre equal to the amount given to the farmers of Palwal district. The government had fixed the compensation of Rs 22 to Rs 32 lakh per acre about four years ago for the acquired land and it was not acceptable to the farmers.

Besides, the administration also accepted their other demands, including construction of 18 underbridges, shifting of electricity wires, provisions of service lanes along the expressway and other related demands.

The meeting convened by Deputy Commissioner KM Pandurang was attended by Virender Badhkhalsa, state general secretary of the Bhartiya Kisan Sabha; Tahar Singh, district president, and representatives of Badkhalsa, Aterna, Sevli, Patla, Jakholi, Manoli and Khurrampur villages.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the expressway on November 5, 2015, and after this, efforts were made a number of times by the construction company to start the work.

However, because of the opposition of the farmers, it could never begin.