Telangana farmers in distress as Regional Ring Road land acquisition gains pace

Over 3,429 acres are slated for acquisition to construct the 161.581-km expressway, fuelling fears of displacement among the farming community

Hyderabad: The land acquisition process for the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project’s northern segment has sparked unrest among farmers as it gains momentum.

Over 3,429 acres are slated for acquisition to construct the 161.581-km expressway, fuelling fears of displacement among the farmers’ community.

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The estimated cost of the northern segment of the Hyderabad RRR has now escalated considerably beyond initial projections, but the compensation component remains almost the same. The land acquisition is feared to have a catastrophic effect on many families.

For them, every cent of land is as precious as a nugget of gold. The compensation offered under current norms is perceived as inadequate, with market values of land ranging from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore per acre, depending on proximity to urban areas. The compensation offered, in some cases, is barely 10 per cent of the market value.

The preliminary notifications issued for the northern stretch of the project, spanning five packages from Girmapur in Sangareddy district to Rayagiri in Yadadri Bhongir district, have left many farmers in shock. The emotional toll of the project has been severe.

Nagavelli Chinna Lakshmaiah, a farmer from Varkatpally village in Yadadri Bhongir district, died of a heart attack on Saturday after receiving word from local revenue officials that his land in survey numbers 201 and 202 would be acquired for the project. Despite multiple offers of up to Rs 1.5 crore per acre received from realtors, Lakshmaiah had refused to sell due to his deep emotional attachment to his ancestral land.

Unfortunately, he was not the first in his family to succumb to the stress of potential displacement. Two others have died ever since the land acquisition proposal was received by them. Frustrated by a lack of clear information regarding the future of their land, farmers have rallied around revenue officials. Many have been assured compensation under current orders, which in some cases amounts to a mere 10 per cent of their land’s market value.

Protests have erupted across various districts, with farmers staging a massive dharna at Gajwel after voicing their concerns to the Revenue Divisional Officer. Despite heavy police protection, officials are urging farmers to part with their land, emphasising that the acquisition process cannot be halted.

Calls for intervention
Farmers have appealed to Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy many times, pleading for intervention to modify the RRR alignment and save their lands. Although the Minister reportedly assured farmers of his support, concrete actions are yet to materialize.

Demanding fair compensation
In Choutuppal, farmers are demanding at least 75 per cent of their land’s market value as compensation, along with rehabilitation packages for their families. They argue that their land is no less valuable than the land to be acquired for Hyderabad’s Fourth City, where compensation demands are as high as Rs 2 crore per acre. Farmers are critical of the decision to call for RRR tenders without finalising compensation issues.

According to the detailed project report (DPR), the estimated cost of the northern segment of the RRR project was initially pegged at Rs 11,961.48 crore. However, delays in execution have now pushed the cost to approximately Rs 15,000 crore.

The project, proposed by the then BRS government in 2018 with an initial budget of Rs 9,164 crore, saw the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) approve the proposal. A consultancy was appointed in 2022 to prepare the DPR, which was submitted in March 2023 with an updated cost estimate of Rs 11,961.48 crore.

Rising material costs have since driven the revised estimate to around Rs 15,000 crore. As the land acquisition process for the RRR project progressed, the conflict between administration and the displaced farmers started escalating. Many farmers are uncertain about their future.

 

Ground Reality

• Land market values range from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore per acre depending on proximity to State capital
• Acquisition process has caused tragic incidents among farmers
• Farmers are demanding 75% of their land’s market value and rehabilitation packages
• Project cost has risen substantially, but not compensation component