Amid delays, MoRTH to appoint non-technical consultant to streamline land acquisition process

The ministry said in a circular that it was looking for a retired government employee with the rank of district judge or above, having good knowledge and experience in matters related to land revenue and acquisition.

The aim is to speed up the highway allocation and construction process by better resolving land acquisition issues that otherwise often result in delays.

Along with the complexity of land acquisition, the lack of communication between the buyer and the landowner is delaying key infrastructure projects. According to the ministry, land availability has become a major bottleneck in many cases due to slow procedures and delays in issuing notifications.

The consultant will advise the ministry on issues related to policy, land acquisition, public grievances and legal cases, as part of a plan to accelerate highway construction in the country.

The consultant will monitor projects and coordinate land acquisition matters, operate Bhoomi Rashi and other portals and perform other works as per the guidelines of the ministry. Bhoomi Rashi is a platform for online processing of land acquisition notifications to expedite highway projects in India.

The appointment of a non-technical consultant is significant, given that highway construction has failed to meet annual targets for the past three years. Construction has fallen sharply in the current fiscal year.

Unachieved goals

According to MoRTH data, highway construction fell 12% to 1,288 km in the first two months of the current fiscal year, compared to 1,465 km created in April-May 2023. Projects awarded during the two-month period fell drastically to 4 km from 382 km a year earlier.

“One of the reasons for the decline is also the obstacles related to land acquisition, which results in budget overruns and delays,” an official from one of the world’s four largest auditing and consulting firms said, speaking anonymously.

The central government is said to be aiming to achieve a target of 12,000-13,000 km of highway construction in fiscal 2025, down from a target of 13,814 km and construction of 12,349 km in the previous fiscal year.

As per the MoRTH circular, the consultant will be initially hired for two years. This period can be extended depending on the requirements of the ministry and the performance and health of the consultant. The consultant will be based at the ministry’s office in New Delhi. The age limit for a consultant will be 63 years.

As per the prevailing regulations, MoRTH considers acquiring 90% of land before awarding a motorway section in the best case scenario. This prevents delays as the concessionaire gets encumbrances-free projects to execute. Minor acquisitions can be done at various stages of construction without affecting the progress of the projects.