The government is set to introduce a ranking system for states based on the quality of their land records, the ease of land acquisition, and their proactive involvement in highway development projects. This initiative aims to address significant obstacles in road project execution, namely delays in land acquisition and deficiencies in land records.
Road Transport and Highways Secretary V Umashankar highlighted instances where "missing plots" (plots not acquired) surface after project approval and during the tendering phase, causing project standstills and complications. He emphasized the critical role of land plans in the entire project lifecycle, noting that some states consistently face such issues.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is developing the parameters for ranking states on 'ease of land acquisition'. One potential key metric is the time taken by states to make approximately 90% of the required land available from the date of project approval. States completing land acquisition processes faster are likely to receive a higher ranking. The ranking results will inform central decisions on project prioritization and resource allocation to states demonstrating greater efficiency and timely progress.
This move gains significance considering that highway-owning agencies like NHAI and NHIDCL have had to de-scope works in around 20% of projects and even terminate contracts due to land unavailability. The ranking system is designed to serve as both a diagnostic and allocative tool, reinforcing MoRTH's commitment to timely road infrastructure delivery. By establishing a structured mechanism for evaluating land acquisition efficiency, the Ministry seeks to de-risk project execution, boost private sector confidence, and ensure optimal use of public resources.
Land acquisition for National Highway projects is carried out under Section 3 of the NHs Act, 1956, with compensation determined as per the RFCTLARR Act, 2013. MoRTH has issued guidelines and a manual to streamline land acquisition. The Ministry launched the BhoomiRashi portal on April 1, 2018, to digitize and automate the land acquisition process, addressing delays and errors associated with manual processes. The portal expedites the process with simultaneous Hindi translation and links to the e-gazette for faster publication. It also offers a predefined format for notifications and an award calculator for transparent compensation calculation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously directed the cabinet secretary to create a training module on land acquisition in collaboration with the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) to sensitize civil service recruits to the process.
While parameters are still under development, the ranking aims to address delays during pre-construction and project execution. The initiative could use data from the past 5-6 years as a reference point for ranking states. An official noted the importance of consistent application of these norms, considering the trend of announcing and approving more NH projects in states nearing elections. Since land is a state subject, the central government relies on state governments for acquiring the necessary land.
