AGARTALA, May 20 (TIWN): Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned Rs 49410.94 lakh as compensation for utility shifting and land acquisition for 2 - laning of Agartala – Udaipur- Sabroom (124 km) section on NH-44, said official sources.

As stated by the source the acquisition of land is schedule start first week of June and has to be completed by 2014 – 15 financial year. Total of 173.38 acres of land to be acquired – 119.58 acre  Jote (private land), 39.85 acre Khas land (govt land) and 13.95 acre departmental land.

The land will be acquired in two phases – West Tripura, Sepahijala  in first phase and Gomati, South Tripura in second phase.In addition, provision for shifting of electricity transmission lines, shifting of water supply pipe lines etc have been allowed as proposed by the concerned department.

Besides the rate adopted for land acquisition are based on market rates as assessed by land acquisition collector of respective district. The amount of compensation has been calculated as per the right to fair compensation and transparency in land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement Act 2013.

Union Road and Surface Transport Minister Oscar Fernandez laid the foundation stone for a double laning project of the NH 44 in Udaipur-Sabroom segment in November last  year. The Ministry of Surface Transport and National Highways is ready to declare Sabroom-Kukital road as alternate National Highway for Tripura. This has been a significant demand of the state’s ruling Left Front government since long.