Senate panel wants Babusar Top road landowners get current market price
NHA acquired land for Rs380m, however district administration proposes payment of Rs1.47b while owners demand Rs2.1b
Babusar top. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
The Senate sub-committee on communication has directed the district administration and the communication ministry to pay the Kaghan-Babusar Top Road landowners as per prevailing market rate instead of the price assessed 17 years ago at the launch of project.
The Senate panel in its meeting held on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to resolve the land acquisition issue of Kaghan to Babusar Top road.
Almost 17 year have passed but the government has not paid the landowners of the said project.
The owners were now demanding payment as per market rate instead of what National Highway Authority (NHA) was offering 17 years ago.
The sub-committee meeting was held in the Senate building on Tuesday under the chair of the Convener Senator Behramand Khan Tangi, which was also attendd by the NHA chairman Jawad Rafiq Malik, minister official from the district of Mansehra and others.
The committee took up the Babusar Top Highway project and land acquisition matter. The convener stated that despite passing of 17 years, the process of land acquisition after payment to the owners has not been closed.
Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi stated that 17 years ago NHA acquired land for Babusar Top road project at Rs380 million, now NHA officials say that the landowners are of the view that property value has increased therefore they should be paid Rs2.16 billion, whereas the Mansehra district administration has suggested an amount of Rs1.47 billion.
On the comments of the NHA official on the increased payment, Senator Tangi said that the demand of the owners to seek six per cent mark up on unpaid amount was justified.
NHA officials said they were in dialogue with the owners, but with zero outcome, the NHA-38 has ensured the land acquired would be paid soon if they agreed on the prince, but the owners of the lands demands Rs2.16 billion, while NHA wants to pay 17 years old price of Rs380 millions.
“How incompetent were the officers of the NHA at that time that despite the knowledge that the prices of the land would increase with the passage of time, they did not clear the dues of the people in the project 17 years ago and now owners were demanding increased rates,” Tangi said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2019.
The Senate sub-committee on communication has directed the district administration and the communication ministry to pay the Kaghan-Babusar Top Road landowners as per prevailing market rate instead of the price assessed 17 years ago at the launch of project.
The Senate panel in its meeting held on Tuesday directed the relevant authorities to resolve the land acquisition issue of Kaghan to Babusar Top road.
Almost 17 year have passed but the government has not paid the landowners of the said project.
The owners were now demanding payment as per market rate instead of what National Highway Authority (NHA) was offering 17 years ago.
The sub-committee meeting was held in the Senate building on Tuesday under the chair of the Convener Senator Behramand Khan Tangi, which was also attendd by the NHA chairman Jawad Rafiq Malik, minister official from the district of Mansehra and others.
The committee took up the Babusar Top Highway project and land acquisition matter. The convener stated that despite passing of 17 years, the process of land acquisition after payment to the owners has not been closed.
Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi stated that 17 years ago NHA acquired land for Babusar Top road project at Rs380 million, now NHA officials say that the landowners are of the view that property value has increased therefore they should be paid Rs2.16 billion, whereas the Mansehra district administration has suggested an amount of Rs1.47 billion.
On the comments of the NHA official on the increased payment, Senator Tangi said that the demand of the owners to seek six per cent mark up on unpaid amount was justified.
NHA officials said they were in dialogue with the owners, but with zero outcome, the NHA-38 has ensured the land acquired would be paid soon if they agreed on the prince, but the owners of the lands demands Rs2.16 billion, while NHA wants to pay 17 years old price of Rs380 millions.
“How incompetent were the officers of the NHA at that time that despite the knowledge that the prices of the land would increase with the passage of time, they did not clear the dues of the people in the project 17 years ago and now owners were demanding increased rates,” Tangi said.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2019.