Kamptee Cantt Board withdraws nod to NHAI for road-widening

 

 

Ongoing four-lane carraigeway work on Nagpur-Kamptee section of National Highway-7 again hit the road block of Kamptee Cantonment Board resulting in stoppage of widening work on Friday. The Kamptee Cantonment authorities have withdrawn permission granted to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on June 11, 2020, about construction of road expansion work, said local officials.

About 700 metres of stretch abutting cantonment boundary has hit the roadblock over ownership of land. While throughout the road, the concessionaire M/s KCC Buildcon Company got clear

access as the expansion-cum-concretisation neared the cantonment area but the work was stopped by Army personnel. A dispute aroused over the ownership of the road abutting National Highway as Defence officials maintained that they are of the view that ownership rests with them while NHAI contention was that throughout country some portion adjoining the road is vested with Revenue authorities.

Finally, after protracted negotiations at Delhi a middle-way was found and NHAI agreed to acquire the Defence land. A sum of Rs 7 crore as compensation was paid to Kamptee Cantonment Board and the said 700 metres land was acquired. The said land is crucial to prevent bottleneck just as one enters in Kamptee a small bridge is also needed to be widened.

Another part of the deal where NHAI through the concessionaire erected a fencing to seal the Defence area adjoining the National Highway. A sum of Rs 7 lakh was spent on the same.

Now as per sources, the Cantonment officials have withdrawn from the deal and are insisting that NHAI should construct a concrete compound wall to ward off any future attempt to encroach on their land. This, NHAI officials said, is preposterous as it’s going to push the cost of the ongoing project like anything. Going by standards of wall around Defence establishment the bill would further rise in the range of Rs 25 to 30 lakhs and NHAI local officials are in bind how to manoeuvre out of the tight situation.

Meanwhile, fears are speculated that any further delay might prompt NHAI to go ahead with rest of the project excluding the land in dispute as they too have to complete the work in time.

Already the project has got delayed and if NHAI says the ongoing project is completed the stalemate at Kamptee

end might remain an open sore and become an accident spot.