Khammam: Lockdown speeds up green field four-lane road survey

Khammam: When all the sectors were badly affected by the coronavirus, the national highway officials have turned the disaster into their favour and speed up land survey works for constructing green field four-lane road proposed from Khammam to Devarapalli in Andhra Pradesh.

Before lockdown, the survey works were going on a snail pace due to the protest by farmers. But now public gatherings are not allowed during lockdown, which became easy for the officials for conducting survey works. According to information, out of 1990 acres, survey of 1000 acres was completed and marked pegs. The officials have planned to complete survey in the remaining area in 15 days. The government had issued notification for four-lane greenfield road in 2018, which passes through Khammam district for 96 kilometer stretch and enter West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh. The officials faced stiff opposition from farmers in the initial stage, which continued till lockdown implementation. Huge protest and agitations by the farmers had delayed the works. Now the officials are doing survey in one village per day with police force.

Speaking to the media, a survey officer said that they were afraid to enter villages as farmers were attacking them. But now due to lockdown, no one is coming out and we are doing survey without fear, he added. A farmer, N Venkat, alleged that the officials are forcibly making survey works with the help of police force. He appealed the government to pay compensation as per the market price instead of government fixed prices for their lands.