NEW DELHI: Land parcels acquired for highway development will be returned to their original owners by govt, if these are not used for five years.
The highway authority or landowners also will not be allowed to submit any objection to the compensation amount for the acquired land three months after announcement of the award.
These are some of the key provisions that road transport and highways ministry has proposed in amendments to National Highways Act, in a proposal sent to the cabinet seeking its approval.
Sources said the changes target to make land acquisition faster for NH development and wayside amenities, and also to reduce arbitration. As per the proposed amendments, govt would declare any interchange of a highway with other modes of transport, including rail and air, as NH.
The provision has been proposed to meet present and future requirements.
Ministries, including civil aviation, railways, defence, shipping, coal and environment, and legal affairs and revenue departments have given their comments on the proposed amendments. As per the proposals, govt will have a designated portal for hosting notices for land acquisition, and land can be acquired for wayside amenities, public utilities, toll and offices for operation of highway stretches.
Highway ministry has also proposed that no one can make any transaction on creating any encumbrances on land parcels after govt issues notification for acquiring land till the end of process. This gains importance considering instances where landowners built houses or started running shops after the first notification to acquire land to get higher compensation.
The proposed amendments also specify that the arbitrator, while determining the compensation, will have to take the market value of land on the date of the first notification. This will put an end to arbitrary award of the compensation.
A source said the proposed changes have set timelines for determining compensation by authorities, filing objections to compensation amount and determinants for arbitrators. These are aimed at transparency of all respects related to land acquisition for NH development.