Fresh alignment for bypass demanded

Statesman News Service

MALDA, 4 DEC.: Backed by the CPI-M, residents of the Jadupur-I gram panchayat in English Bazaar block of this district staged a demonstration in front of the district magistrate's office today, demanding a fresh alignment for a proposed bypass for the National Highway 34.

The bypass would branch off at the highway at Jadupur in the southern end of the Malda and connect with Narayanpur in the northern end, covering more than nine kms.

Hundreds of people who assembled here, under the banner of Jadupur-I Krishi Jami O Bastuhara Nagarilk Adhikar Raksha Committee, submitted a memorandum to the district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh.

With an eight-point charter of demands including an alternative proposal for realignment of the proposed project, a few villagers today met the district magistrate and named some influential persons, who allegedly played a key role in changing the alignment in order to save their property along the NH 34.

While submitting a memorandum, the CPI-M leader, Mr Samar Roy, who is also the former English Bazaar MLA, asked the district magistrate as to why the alignment of the national highway was changed by the authorities before the notification for realignment and land acquisition was published on 12 November.

The Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, said: “We shall draw the attention of the project director so that they can avoid maximum damage of property of the poor people. Since it is a technical matter the experts of the National Highway Authority of India will take the final decision”.

“We do not have the right to change the alignment but we can request them to change the alignment slightly considering the demand made by these poor people,” Mr Ghosh said.

Taking a cue from Singur and Nandigam, the villagers are adamant in resisting the land acquisition process if the national highway authorities refuse to change the present alignment.

The villagers said that at least 300 houses at Gabgahhi Jadupur village, temple and burial grounds will be damaged if the alignment is not altered.

Villagers also demanded compensation based on the present market price of the land along the NH 34 in Jadupur gram panchayat areas.