The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a notification for acquisition of ‘kabristan’ (graveyard) land on NH-31 in Begusarai to facilitate construction of service lane between Deona and Papraur. The lane could not be constructed due to the ‘kabristan’ land falling on the way.
The issue had hogged the limelight after Begusarai MP and Union minister Giriraj Singh threatened in December last year to sit on a dharna along with his supporters near the site if the state government and the local administration failed to vacate the land within six months. Union minister Giriraj Singh had then alleged that the non-construction of service lane on the stretch was hindering smooth traffic and making people vulnerable to accidents.
The NHAI has now issued a gazette notification in which 0.89 acre of land, which was earlier demarcated as ‘kabristan’ land, will now be acquired. Incidentally, the four-lane construction work on NH-31 between Simaria and Khagaria is nearing completion.However, despite the project having a provision for service lane between Deona and Papraur, the same could not be constructed due to the ‘kabristan’ land falling in the way.