Public Works Minister, Vikramaditya Singh and Chief Parliamentary, Secretary, Sunder Singh Thakur in a joint statement issued here today took a jibe at the former Chief Minister, Jai Ram Thakur saying that the former Chief Minister during his tenure never conducted inspections of any of the National Highways projects and also never pursued early completion and completely ignored the compensation cases to be paid to the displaced, was now conducting inspections of Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane seems to be lot surprising. (CM Ensured Timely Compensation To Those Displaced By Central Road Projects)
The Central Government had announced 68 National Highways for the State amounting to 67 thousand crore and since the last five years, Jai Ram Thakur could not pursue the cases of compensation and land acquisition with his central leadership besides he gave a ‘deaf ear’ to the plea of those whose land was taken over by National Highway Authority of India. Jai Ram Thakur never even bothered to visit any of the central road project sites during his tenure. The BJP cheated the farmers and those whose land was acquired by the NHAI and just kept on telling lies for five years, that they will give four times compensation.
Even, whatever work was being done, was done at a snail’s pace, they said, adding that the Road projects could not be commissioned even because of Double Engine Sarkaar of BJP. The BJP when in power failed to implement the factor formula to pay compensation for the land being acquired for the construction of four lanes and national highways in the State during 2017 assembly election. The BJP in its vision document had promised to give four times compensation as per formula 2 but could not even provide other benefits of rehabilitation as well. During the Assembly elections to the State Assembly, even the Union Home Minister assured the people of Mandi that four times compensation will be provided to them, but all in vain.
While on the other hand, sitting Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made sure that adequate compensation was disbursed to the displaced and got distributed compensation of approximately 1200 crore to the affected and that too within 15 days after reviewing the pendency. It is also pertinent to mention here that it was the then Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Kamal Nath who had agreed in principle for the fourlaning of Kirat-Pur Manali four-lane project and he got the feasibility study conducted as well besides making provision for funds. Now when the Kiratpur- Nerchowk four-lane is complete Jai Ram Thakur reached for its inspection for the first time to be in the news, but when it came to disbursing of compensation, he was nowhere to be seen on the spot.
Even the Detailed Project Reports remained in limbo during the BJP era in the State. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu pursued completion of DPRs in time and The NHAI has agreed in principle for the construction of four-lane road project from Shimla to Matour with an outlay of Rs. 10,000 crore and Rs. 12,000 crore four-laning of Pathankot to Mandi road, due to the efforts of Sh. Sukhu they said. Vikramaditya and Sunder Singh said that it was the sitting Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who personally met the Prime Minister of India and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highway, Nitin Gadkari number of times to get the works expedited on the ongoing central road projects in the State. The State BJP leaders along with Jai Ram Thakur were trying to take the credit of four lanes projects keeping in view the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and were trying to be a true benefactor of the people. However, the people of the State are very well aware of their modus operandi and cheap tactics of BJP so as to gain popularity, asserted they.
