Hasten land acquisition to widen NH 169A, MP tells Udupi district administration

Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Member of Parliament Kota Srinivas Poojary on September 15 directed the Udupi district administration to hasten pending land acquisition process for widening Malpe-Tirthahalli National Highway 169A between Karavali Junction in Udupi and Malpe. Immediate action should be taken to pay compensation to land-losers, he said.

Chairing a review meeting on NHs at Rajatadri, the district office complex in Manipal, Mr. Poojary said widening of NH 169A to four lanes between Malpe and Hebri was in the final stages. The administration should speed up land acquisition wherever the process has been slow to complete the project expeditiously, he said.

In the stalled Parkala land acquisition process, ₹8.25 crore has been deposited in the court. Out of a 419-metre stretch belonging to 13 persons, only one has gone to the court, and instructions were given to re-survey the land, resolve the issue and start the work.

Land for the balance 2.69 km from Hiriyadka to Perdur has been acquired. The Forest Department has given permission to cut trees along a distance of ​​1.4 km in the Hebri-Padigara area, but the work is pending. He told Forest Department officials to clear the trees immediately.

Deputy Commissioner T. K. Swaroopa said land acquisition for the 1.18 km stretch from Kalmadi to Malpe harbour has been completed. The engineers were instructed to start the work immediately.

Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said that a list of those who have lost land for NH widening and who were yet to be paid compensation should be prepared. “Meet each one personally, listen to their grievance, and resolve the problems,” he told the offoicials.

Karkala MLA V. Sunil Kumar, Additional DC Abid Gadyal, and Kundapura Assistant Commissioner S. Rashmi were among those present.