Traders who have to surrender land for the metro-rail project in Banerjee Road, Jos Junction-Ernakulam Junction Railway Station Road and MG Road have demanded compensation on par with the market price of the lands.
“We are being offered compensation which is only a portion of the market rate, despite the Chief Minister reiterating that the compensation will be in keeping with the market rate. Even the Supreme Court had stated this in its judgment on taking over farmlands,” said M.V. Varghese, the convenor of the body formed to take up the landowners' cause.
The District Purchase Committee fixed a compensation of Rs 31.35 lakh per cent and later hiked the amount to Rs. 50 lakh. This shows that the initial price fixing was out of tune with reality.
The highest market rate for land here in 2011 was Rs. 73 lakh per cent, as per the title deed and this was handed over to the committee. Under these circumstances, we are demanding a compensation of Rs. one crore per cent, which includes 30 per cent solatium.
The statement by some officials that some people have offered to surrender their land for a lesser sum is aimed at creating a divide, Mr. Varghese said.
Keywords: Kochi Metro rail
