Demonstrating protest against the construction of Harmu flyover project, nearly all shops, big and small, remained closed till late afternoon. Members of Harmu Road Bachhao Samiti on Friday staged protest against the State government’s alleged arbitrariness. One of the protesting members requesting anonymity said that despite submitting requisition over and over again regarding compensation and other factors, the State government is yet to listen to our pleas.
“No formal discussion or any kind of meeting was held in the past few months regarding land acquisition. Also, there are a few families who are yet to get compensation from the State government. Interestingly, several residents until now have no idea as how much land is being acquired from them. The government must clear its stand first,” said Arvind Bhagat who owns a medical store at New Market.
Similarly, Faisal Iqbal who has a grocery store near Kartik Oraon Chowk stated that the State government is carrying out this project without prior information. “It is high time now; the State government has to understand this that only with the support of the city residents any big project is carried out. Most often, we get to know about the State government’s move through newspapers. We will not allow any type of dictatorship here at any cost. More than 100 Raiyats are together.”
As per the administration’s plan, for the proposed 2.34km Harmu flyover starting from lPN Nath Shahdeo Chowk on Kanke Road to Kartik Oraon Chowk at Harmu, 246.056 decimal government and 296.028 decimal private land has been demarcated. Worth Rs. 121 crore will be invested in the project.
More significantly, nearly, 80 per cent public do not want to lend their land to the State government and the project is facing remonstration since 2016, soon after the State government handed the work of two mega flyover projects to Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (JUIDCO). Meanwhile, just a day before this protest by Harmu Road Bacchao Samiti members, the district administration had cancelled its plan of land measurement until indefinite date.