Supreme Court asks NHAI to pay higher compensation to Uttar Pradesh farmers
Supreme Court has asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to pay enhanced land compensation to the landowners whose lands were acquired for widening of National Highway No 24 on the Bareilly-Sitapur section of Uttar Pradesh.
The top court also permitted the landowners/farmers to withdraw the compensation amount deposited with the concerned district court along with accrued interest thereon. It also allowed the landowners to initiate suitable proceedings, including execution, in case any further amount is payable by the highways authority to them.
While dismissing NHAI’s appeals, SC said “all questions of law urged are, however, kept open”.
NHAI had paid less than Rs 500 per square metre to these landowners.
Now, it will have to shell out Rs 15,000 per sqm, according to lawyers involved in the case.
In May last year, the SC had come down heavily on NHAI for paying “peanuts to landowners” and had asked it to deposit the entire enhanced amount of land compensation. It had then allowed the landowners to withdraw half of the amount so paid by the authority.
NHAI had acquired land for the purposes of widening, maintenance, management and operation of National Highway No 24 from 262 km to 288 km (Bareilly-Sitapur Section) under the National Highways Act, 1956.
The direction to pay compensation at commercial rates was given by the district judge and was subsequently upheld by the Allahabad High Court in April 2021.
Initially, the competent authority in October 2012 had determined the compensation of the land according to circle rates applicable to the agricultural land, since it was so recorded in the revenue record.
