To Con Government With False Compensation, 2500 Houses Have Come Up Along Highway Path In Madhya Pradesh

As Singrauli-Prayagraj highway is all set to branch into 33 villages, many green fields are turning into construction sites. There is a sudden surge in new 'houses' is on the proposed highway path. 

Around 2,500 new so-called 'houses' have appeared quickly on the proposed highway path in 30 days. Weirdly, these new 'houses' are just four-foot-high walls with a tin roof which is not even suitable for children.

Why Are These Houses Being Constructed? 

Land acquisition began in March, with a ban a on new constructions and land transactions in place. Despite that people hurriedly built these structures after hearing about the compensation. According to Zee News TV, over 2,500 houses were built within a month with the help of government employees.

Building a house on farmland increases the compensation significantly compared to just having land. This has led to a phenomenon being called a 'compensation industry'.  Local officials and brokers are involved where they will be getting a large share of the money despite a ban on new construction or land deals in the compensation areas since March.

Administration's Response

However, the administration has now declared that no compensation will be given for these new houses. Residents say brokers and local officials are behind this sudden construction surge.

An official explained that compensation varies, but if a house is on the land and someone lives there, the family gets a rehabilitation package, including a job and a house elsewhere. Separate compensation is given for hand pumps, bore wells, or trees on the land.

According to NDTV, Suresh Jadha, Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Singrauli, said, "The highway, 135 C, will be constructed under the Chitrangi block of the district and 70 km of it will pass through 33 villages of the district. The department's estimate for this stretch is ₹ 759 crore. A joint survey was done and 500 old houses were found. About 3,200 new houses have been constructed and compensation will not be given for those."

Decoding 'Compensation' Deals

Before the highway survey, land was sold for ₹8,000 per decimal (about 436 square feet). Now, it has increased to ₹80,000. Villagers claim brokers are making deals between non-locals and local landowners, with agreements stating that 80% of the compensation goes to those building the house, and 20% to the original landowners. This practice has spread to other areas, like the under-construction Singrauli-Lalitpur Railway Line.