Acquisition of land for Leh project notified

Over 4,705 kanal of land will be acquired for 16.5 kilometre-long route

RAWALPINDI:

A notification has been issued for the acquisition of land for the Leh Expressway and Flood Channel project.

Over 4,705 kanal of land will be acquired in 18 locations for the 16.5-kilometre-long Leh Expressway project.

The land will be acquired in 18 locations including Tha Kalan, Topi, Jhanda Chichi, Civil Line, Meri Hassan Dehati, Meri Hassan Qasbati, Rawalpindi Sakni, Rawalpindi Mahal. Rawalpindi Rural, Rata Amral Qasbati, Dhok Mangtal, Dhok Nord Qasbati, Dhawar, Dina, Har Do Shahri, Dhok Najo Dehati, Dhok Najo Shahri and Dhok Hayat.

A sum of Rs24 billion had been allocated for the acquisition of land for the project pending for the last 15 years.

It has been decided that no payment will be made against the state land falling within the route and only no-objection certificates will be obtained from the government departments owning the land.

The final approval of the Leh Expressway and Flood Channel project worth Rs100 billion is pending with the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

After getting approval of the project concept (PC-1) from the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP), the project had been referred to the ECNEC for final approval.

The government has decided to start the project on a public-private partnership model after its cost escalated in the last 15 years.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2021.