Work on State’s ambitious project Atal Pragati Path has yet to get momentum in the State. The Union Ministry for Forest and Environment and National Green Tribunal (NGT) objections over the inclusion of ravines has led the authorities to come up with modifications in the project. According to the national authority officials, the new alignment of Atal Pragati Path has been prepared after objections from the NGT and the Union Environment Ministry. There have been some modifications. The path will pass through more villages and the number of construction of bridges have increased although the expressway’s length in the state has been reduced.

Most of the land under the new alignment is of the private sector. There will be 214 villages that fall on this route. On the other hand, it will be linked to the Bundelkhand Expressway in UP, he added.

Length decreased by six km in MP. Earlier, there were eight rivers in Madhya Pradesh, now big bridges will be built on 10 rivers. Now this expressway will pass far away from the ravines of Chambal. Earlier, the proposed route was passing through 162 villages, this expressway will pass through 214 villages of Chambal division (Morena, Bhind Sheopur) in the new alignment.

Government owned land had been acquired for Atal Pragati Path and the process of acquiring private land was underway, but the Ministry of Environment and the NGT refused to allow the construction of the expressway in ravines. That is why in the new alignment, it has been kept away from ravines, Forest Department and National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary area.

According to the new layout, Pragati Path will pass through 110 villages of Morena, 63 villages of Sheopur and 41 villages of Bhind i.e. total 214 villages. Earlier there were eight rivers of Madhya Pradesh on the expressway, now big bridges will be built on 10 rivers. NHAI has sought land from Morena, Sheopur and Bhind district administration for the new alignment.

According to the district administrative official, earlier 75 per cent was Government land, now more than 90 per cent of the private land will have to be acquired. Although, the length passing from the State has been reduced by six kilometre.

The Atal Pragati Path originates from National Highway 27 at Kariya-Bara in Kota district of Rajasthan, which will reach Etawah in UP via Sheopur-Morena-Bhind. Earlier, its length was 404 km, which will now be more than 423 km. Under the new alignment, the length of this expressway has also reduced in Madhya Pradesh, in the old proposal the portion of 312 km was in Madhya Pradesh, now it will be 306 km. Its cost has also increased.

In UP, the length of Atal Pragati Path has increased by about 23 km. In the earlier proposal, UP had a 24 km portion, in the new one the 47 km long Atal Pragati Path will be in UP. Cost has also increased. The budget of the Atal Pragati Path, which was earlier proposed at Rs 7,000 crore, is now estimated to be around Rs 9,000 crore. First we are getting the survey of these lands done. After this the process of land acquisition will start next year said the senior official from the district office.

It is proposed to give compensation to about 10,000 rural families and farmers of these districts. The proposed Atal Progressway is to be built on the banks of Chambal River in MP. For this project, mainly the land of Chambal ravines was to be used. The process of taking land from 2,300 farmers of Chambal area and giving them compensation in return was also going on. The Project Director of NHAI has also confirmed that the Environment Ministry objected to the Atal Progress Way map. After the objection of the Ministry of Environment, now a fresh route survey is going on for the project.

The total length of Atal Pragati Path would be 404 km. The Chief Minister has already said that necessary provision is being made in the interest of farmers regarding land acquisition. Farmers who want land instead of land or want an amount, will be given its benefit. The State Government has given 1,600 hectares of Government land to NHAI. For the remaining 1,460 hectares of private land, it is proposed by the Government to give double the land. Most of the farmers agree with this. Atal Pragati Path will be built by providing cash compensation of twice the market value. But some farmers are sceptical about the proposal. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Ghanshayma Yadav, a farmer, said “once the land has been given. Farmers have to make around the Collector office to get the compensation. They are saying they will provide but we are not sure whether they will fulfill the promise or not.”

Officials at the CMO office told ‘The Hitavada’ that “collectors from concerned districts have been asked to take action to give compensation to the people in a transparent manner by doing survey work within the time limit.”

This pathway will connect Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

After the completion of the project industrial development will take place in the Chambal region and give a boost to the State’s economy. With this project, overall development will be possible in the Bheehad region.