The NHIDCL Executing Agency for widening and development of NH-301 Kargil – Zanskar Road have to take a demolition drive today on 19.08.2025 in village Minjee to dismantle the structures falling within the alignment of NH-301 in the presence of Tehsildar Kargil (Executive Magistrate), stated a press release received from official sources.
The drive has been taken against such structures where the owners of the structures have received the compensation of the complete structure on the basis of the assessment of the PWD though only a portion of the structure falls within the alignment. The compensation has been paid strictly under the provisions of National Highway Act and RFCTLARR Act 2013 with the applicable guidelines.
The Structure owners have been credited the compensation determined by the CALA in their accounts through Revenue Authorities after receiving an Undertaking duly attested by the General Manager Projects NHIDCL and the Executive Magistrate of the Revenue Department for demolition of the structure by the owner within ten days failing which it shall be deemed that the structure has been taken over by the NHIDCL for demolition to take over the acquired land for NH-301.
The details of the twelve structure owners of village Minjee where the demolition has been taken by the NHIDCL is given in a separate sheet with the details of compensation received with date wise invoices issued by the CALA and NHIDCL through their joint Bank Account held with IndusInd Bank.
The executing agency has given sufficient time to the structure owners to dismantle structures for last more than six months but the structure owners instead receiving the compensation of the full structure have not dismantle the structures which has caused delay in completion of the project. Which is affecting the public interest adversely. The notice for demolition of the structures and counselling by the Revenue Department and NHIDCL had no effect to these structure owners thereby causing delay in the completion of the project of National Importance.
The work of the project is being monitored directly by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways who have conveyed their displeasure for the delay in the land Acquisition process. The NHIDCL has accordingly to take demolition drive out of their own resources to retrieve the acquired land for widening and development of NH-301.
All such structure owners falling within the alignment of NH-301 and compensation received on the basis of undertaking are hereby directed to take immediate steps to dismantle the structure equal to the area for which assessment has been done by the PWD and compensation determined by the CALA on the basis of assessment shall dismantle the structures of their own and vacate the land acquired for said project. Meanwhile the NHIDCL shall continue the demolition drive of all such structure where compensation stands credited to structure owners from Kargil to Padum.
Needless to mention the widening and improvement of NH-301 is a project of national importance, aimed at providing all-weather connectivity to the remote Zanskar valley, boosting tourism, improving trade and commerce, and ensuring better access to healthcare, education, and emergency services for the people of the region.