Farmers protest RRR realignment, allege favouritism for leaders’ lands

Telangana farmers protest against the Regional Ring Road realignment, alleging the state government altered the southern route to protect lands of Congress leaders and private industries. They demand restoration of the original alignment and fair compensation for affected villages

Hyderabad: Ever since the Congress came to power in the State, the ambitious Regional Ring Road (RRR) project has been making headlines for the wrong reasons.

First, farmers staged protests over what they described as poor compensation. Now, they are accusing the government of altering the RRR alignment to safeguard lands belonging to Congress leaders and their associates. The State Cabinet cleared the changes in July this year. The southern alignment, which originally covered 182 km, has now been extended to 201 km.

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Last November, farmers in Sangareddy, erstwhile Nalgonda and elsewhere staged protests against what they called unfair compensation. Ryots from Raigiri demonstrated outside Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy’s residence demanding higher compensation.

In Choutuppal, farmers said the market value of their land was nearly Rs 2 crore per acre but the government was offering only Rs 7 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.

After demanding better compensation, farmers are now protesting against the realignment. At a review meeting in August, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to alter the southern alignment in a way that industries could come up in the Fourth City. Several changes were suggested and carried out, which farmers say are increasing both the project’s length and cost while sparing the properties of influential leaders at their expense.

On the Nalgonda–Rangareddy borders, farmers allege that a resort and venture owned by a Congress MLA were excluded from acquisition after the route was extended by over a kilometre. In Rangareddy, the alignment was earlier finalised through Khanapur but was shifted to protect lands of another Congress leader. Similarly, in Vikarabad, the route that was to pass through Chevella mandal has now been shifted nearly seven km towards Vikarabad town, allegedly to benefit influential landowners.

Farmers charge that the changes are unscientific, made without proper surveys, and result in loss of land in about 12 villages while sparing private resorts and ventures.

On Monday, farmers from Pudur mandal in Vikarabad met BJP MP Konda Vishveswar Reddy and demanded restoration of the original alignment. Another group of farmers also held a protest at Devireddy Bungalow in Narayanpuram on Monday, insisting that the alignment be altered to safeguard agricultural lands.

On Friday, farmers from Choutuppal, Samsthannarayanpuram, Valigonda and neighbouring mandals had staged a protest at the RDO office in Choutuppal, alleging that the new route was altered to protect lands of a private industry. They submitted a memorandum demanding that the old alignment be retained.