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Locals oppose NH 163 works
The works related to National Highway 163 on the outskirts of Warangal city were caught up in legal wrangles and opposition by locals.
Warangal: The works related to National Highway 163 on the outskirts of Warangal city were caught up in legal wrangles and opposition by locals.
The residents have alleged that the officials concerned deviated from the road map prepared and approved by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), based on final feasibility report (FFR) in 2012. A gazette notification has been issued in 2013.
The NH 163 connects Eturnagaram-Bhupalpatnam and passes through Bhimaram-Chintagattu on the city outskirts, where there are several residential and commercial structures along with vacant plots. The officials of national highways, revenue, and land and survey departments have changed the alignment unauthorisedly in 2014, informed a resident Teerthala Veeraiah.
According to him, in 2016 the alignment was changed 120 feet on the west side of the road, affecting nearly 40 property owners and to benefit a handful of rich, who have commercial establishments on the east side of the road.
Information related to the change of alignment and deviation from the original map was obtained through a RTI petition. The affected persons having properties in survey numbers 75, 76 and 77 filed case in High Court, which directed the officials to stick to the original plan, he said.
But the officials, with the help of police force, are threatening the locals and attempting to carry out the works forcefully against the court orders. On filing a contempt court petition, show-cause notices were issued to the District Collector and revenue officials.
“Yet a few days ago, they tried to execute the works even as the case is pending in the court. When we questioned the officials, they are answering in a reckless manner and even threatening us. We have staged protests but in vain,” Veeraiah and several others told The Hans India.
Meanwhile, the residents of Hasanparthy, Ellapur, Erragattugutta and Chinthagattu were also on warpath against the proposed 200 feet NH 563 between Raipatnam and Kodad. They have been staging protests for the past few weeks, demanding to reduce the road width to 150 feet.
About 1,000 families, most of them from poor background, will lose their properties and livelihood because of the highway. The officials shall reduce the width or lay a by-pass road to avoid demolition of structures by the side of the road, the locals Nagamalla Suresh and V Surender Reddy said.
According to them, the NHAI Project Director K Srinivasulu spoke to the affected villagers and promised to conduct a resurvey to find alternates. “Nonetheless, we go ahead with our agitation until a suitable decision is taken by the authorities,” they stated.
By: James Edwin
