Corruption and Illegal Construction, Panjab Struggles with Highway Delays

The Panjab govt., in an affidavit submitted by Chief Secretary Anurag Verma to the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC), revealed that out of 37 National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) projects in the state, complete land possession has been secured for only 11, covering 318 km out of a total 1,344 km. A meeting held on 30 Aug between state officials and the NHAI concluded that five Delhi-Katra expressway-linked projects would be prioritized, with Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police tasked with ensuring 100% land possession by 15 Oct. Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on 9 Aug, warning that eight highway projects in Panjab, worth $1.7B, might be terminated if law and order did not improve. Gadkari cites two incidents involving the assault and threats to NHAI staff working on the Delhi-Katra expressway. Despite these concerns, CM Mann attributed the delays to NHAI’s land acquisition issues. At the same time, The Punjab Forest Department has also raised concerns over rampant construction activities on the periphery of Chandigarh, specifically in areas recently delisted from forest status. The department noted that developers are illegally constructing farmhouses and plots in violation of Supreme Court guidelines that restrict development in delisted forest areas. Meanwhile, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau has received the central govt.’s approval to prosecute two former IAS officers, SS Bains and GK Singh, in connection with a 2023 corruption case involving the misappropriation of funds for land acquisition in Jheurheri village, SAS Nagar. The ex-officers, who served as directors of the Department of Panchayats and Rural Development, have been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. The case stems from the officers’ alleged embezzlement of $1.8M meant as compensation for land acquisition.