Land acquired for construction of national highways is eligible for compensation in the form of land replacement or monetary compensation. However, for land acquired for Dzongkhag roads and farm road construction, there is no provision for compensation.
Lyonpo Chandra Bdr Gurung, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, explained the rationale behind this distinction. He stated that these roads are prioritized to cater to the specific needs of rural communities. Providing compensation for all affected properties would impose a significant financial burden on the government.
He said that the Road Right of Way (RRoW) is crucial for the safety of all road users and to accommodate future expansion or upgrades.
The RRoW for national highways is 50 feet, while it is 30 feet for Dzongkhag roads and 20 feet for farm roads, as per the Road Rules and Regulations 2016.
The government acknowledges the potential hardship faced by affected landowners. However, the sheer volume of land required for farm roads, which cover over 11,200 kilometers, equivalent to approximately 40,000 acres, makes compensation an enormous financial undertaking.
The MoIT is currently reviewing the Road Act 2013, which may address the compensation aspect. While the current policy might appear unfair to affected owners, the government is concerned about the financial strain of providing compensation and land substitutes for every Dzongkhag and farm road project.
“So far, our farmers have been supporting the government with no compensation. As for the government as far as possible, they have been trying to connect farm roads through government’s land, so farmers lands are saved.”
He said the continued support of farmers, have contributed to road development without compensation.