Residents of 36 villages, whose land was earmarked by the state government for four laning of the Patna-Hajipur-Muzaffarpur section of National Highway-77, have refused to sell their land at the offered rate of compensation, demanding a better package.
In 2011, farmers belonging to Sakri, Madhol, Kafen, Balia, Vishunpur and Turki villages, adjacent to NH-77, agitated to receive compensation at the rate for commercial land under the banner of Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, temporarily halting the construction work at the site.
In 2016, there was a row over 123 hectares of land for the land acquisition process. Residents of the affected villages claim that officials and middlemen misled them about the category of land. According to them, even though their land was procured under the agricultural category, they calculated compensation for the land according to the residential and commercial category, which is notably higher than the amount paid for agricultural land. Tirhut Divisional Commissioner Atul Prasad constituted a six-member committee to resolve the issue. Muzaffarpur Land Procurement Officer A.K. Thakur remarked that the compensation would be decided once the committee submits its report.
In [2018](https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-the-new-proposal-of-the-minister-to-end-the-resistance-in-nh-77-construction-18704193.html#:~:text=एक नजर में परियोजना,रुपये वितरित कर दिए गए।), in an attempt to speed up the project, State Road Construction Minister Nand Kishore Yadav held a meeting with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials and landholders from the 36 villages. He placed before them a [new proposal](https://www.jagran.com/bihar/muzaffarpur-the-new-proposal-of-the-minister-to-end-the-resistance-in-nh-77-construction-18704193.html#:~:text=एक नजर में परियोजना,रुपये वितरित कर दिए गए।) for compensation which would pay two and a half times the amount of Minimum Value Register (MVR) for 26 villages and four times the MVR for the remaining 10, along with interest. However, neither the landholders nor the NHAI fully agreed to the proposal, with the latter refusing to approve the funds until a state-level committee on objections was constituted by the principal secretary, Department of Road Construction.
A news report in 2019 noted that after negotiations between the farmers and Yadav, the compensation amount was fixed along with interest rates of nine per cent, 15 per cent and 20 per cent and was to be notified as such. However, the residents of Madhubani village were irked by this as they had not agreed to the compensation amount at the meeting with NHAI officials.
In 2021, noting the inordinate delays in land acquisition for major road projects in Bihar, the Patna high court ordered that all the national highways in the state should be monitored to ensure they have passed all necessary orders. The NHAI, meanwhile, sanctioned ₹11,327.45 crore as payment for land acquisition for various road projects in Bihar.
As of August 2023, the required land has been acquired, but the distribution of land compensation has not completed. Also, the mutation of the acquired land has not been done in the name of the President of India. On the request of NHAI, the district administration was directed to distribute land compensation after reviewing it at the level of Chief Secretary.
In 2023, Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav requested Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to construct Muzaffarpur bypass in Hajipur-Muzaffarpur NH-77 in Bihar. To this, Gadkari directed the officials to complete the work quickly.
The construction of NH-77 in Bihar was estimated to be completed in November 2023.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for more compensation than promised
Complaint against procedural violations
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Private
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Project underway despite protests
Original Project Deadline
2024
Whether the Project has been Delayed
No
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Residential area, Agricultural land, Commercial
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
672
Type of investment:
Revised Investment
Year of Estimation
2005
Has the Conflict Ended?
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Incorrect estimation of compensation
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Non-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act
Legal Status:
In Court
Status of Case In Court
Pending
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
High Court of Bihar at Patna
Case Number
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.8900 of 2020, Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.10640 of 2013
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
No
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Kisan Sangharsh Morcha
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Farmers in Assam resist land acquisition for solar plant, beaten by police
Surat farmers claim fertile land re-included in Gujarat's development plan without consent
Villagers in Gadchiroli campaign to shut down Surjagarh iron ore mine
Encroachment, land dispute pose threat to newly designated Behali Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam
Residents in Krishnagiri protest against takeover of land by SIPCOT
Tension in Arunachal's Lower Siang over Likabali-Durpai road project amid boundary disputes
Tamil Nadu revives plan to construct Kanyakumari Port despite protests by fisherfolk
Bauxite mining at Mali Parbat in Koraput seeks to displace and disrupt local livelihoods