Jeypore: To resolve the severe traffic congestion in the city of Jaypur, a bypass road project was proposed. Approval was granted for the construction of the bypass road from the city’s gates through Umuri. However, the construction work could not proceed due to delays in land acquisition. After the administration announced that 90% of the land acquisition had been completed, tenders were invited. But following the tender process, land disputes emerged. Landowners of Jaypur Mouza, whose land was designated for the road, refused to part with their land, halting the project’s progress. As a result, the contractor was unable to complete the work within the stipulated time.
Several contractors participated in the tender, but the ₹84.58 crore project was awarded to Taratarini Construction Company, which offered to complete the work for ₹68.34 crore. In May 2023, the contractor signed an agreement with the Jaypur National Highway Division to construct the road. According to the agreement, the 4.91 km road was to be completed within 18 months. The contractor began work in August last year. However, land acquisition disputes arose during the road leveling stage. Only 22% of the work has been completed so far. People in areas like Dubuli and Makaput, whose land is affected, are not willing to vacate.
Despite repeated efforts by departmental officials, engineers from the National Highway Division, and revenue officers, the administration has failed to resolve the issue. At a public hearing, more than 25 landowners affected by the acquisition refused to hand over their land, demanding compensation based on 2016 land valuation rates. This dispute remains unresolved. Over 18 hectares of land need to be acquired for this road project, and the government had estimated ₹38.989 crore in compensation for the displaced landowners. But to date, only 67% of the land acquisition work has been completed, which has stalled the contractor’s progress.
Considering this, the construction company sent a letter on December 4 last year, stating that it would resume work only after full land acquisition or else withdraw from the project. The company has since refused to comment further. Even the Executive Engineer of the Jaypur National Highway Division has not provided any response.
Contractor Issues Letter to Withdraw from Work:
NHAI Urges Landowners to Accept Fair Compensation Based on Updated Valuation
The contractor has officially informed the National Highway Division via letter of its intention to abandon the project mid-way due to unresolved issues. This has caused concern among departmental officials.
In 2017–18, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared for the construction of the bypass road from the nursery area of Jaypur forest to Umuri. Both government and private lands were marked for acquisition, and administrative procedures to cut down trees along the proposed route had begun. For nearly four years, public hearings and legal acquisition steps were followed as per government norms. Officials and the administration had declared that the acquisition would be completed. The district administration had officially informed the National Highway Division that 90% of the land had been acquired.
Based on this assurance, on August 19, 2022, the Jaypur National Highway Division called for tenders for the construction of a 4.97 km bypass road, estimated at ₹84.58 crore.
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