Delhi LG asks Ambedkar University to carry SIA of Barapullah land

Delhi Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal on Thursday decided to ask Ambedkar University to carry out the social impact assessment (SIA) for acquisition of the Barapullah land for the Barapullah Phase-III project. The project work was stuck for nearly two years due to delay in land acquisition in the Yamuna floodplain. According to Delhi government officials, School of Human Ecology of Ambedkar University will conduct the survey of 8.5 acres belonging to Nangli Razapur villagers. Though villagers are willing to sell the land, SIA has to be done as it is mandatory as per the new Act. Experts will study the impact of land acquisition on the owners and the compensation amount will be decided based on the SIA report. The notification in this regard will be done on Friday. Villagers of Nangli Razapur have agreed to sell the land, but there is a disagreement on the compensation amount. Officials said villagers were demanding Rs 7-9 crore per acre, which the government has refused to pay. While work has started on both ends of the 3.4km-long elevated corridor, PWD officials said the work on a nearly 700 metre-long stretch located in the riverbed couldn’t start as it was privately owned. According to PWD officials, just 35-40% of the work had been completed. The crucial part is to construct a bridge over the Yamuna for which PWD has to dig 12 well foundations.