Mohali
More than 100 trees are set to be axed for the construction of a new road to Mohali. The Administration has completed the formalities to acquire 13 acres for another route to Mohali. The UT is planning to construct a new bypass (PR-4) from the high-level bridge at Dadu Majra to the UT boundary on the Mullanpur side.
Sources said the trees, mostly of fruit and timber, were on farmers’ land which was to be acquired by the UT. Besides the compensation, each family would get an additional amount for the loss of fruit and non-fruit trees and buildings falling on this land. The Horticulture Department had been assigned the job of identifying trees, for which compensation would be paid, the sources said.
The UT is, for the first time, acquiring the land after completing the formalities under provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. The compensation to the farmers will be paid according to the new Act.
Earlier, the UT used to give compensation as per the collector rates of the area, which were very low. The Administration has already conducted a social impact analysis (SIA) of the road project. In the compensation, the cost of the trees has also been calculated.
The proposed road will have a length of 1,204 metres and a width of 60.96 metres. The land being acquired falls in Dadu Majra village and Dhanas. The new road will connect Highway No. 21 with Sector 39, Chandigarh. Rahul Mahajan, an environmentalist, said axing of trees should be avoided, if possible.
