Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has refused to interfere with the orders of an arbitrator enhancing compensation for farmers who lost their lands under the Yadadri-Warangal National Highway expansion project in Telangana.
The apex court also declined to stay the withdrawal of Rs 2.81 crore deposited by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) before a trial court.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and Vinod Chandran passed the order on Monday while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the NHAI.
Farmers seek enhanced compensation
The dispute relates to land acquisition for the expansion of National Highway-163 between Yadadri and Warangal. Farmers whose lands were acquired had sought enhanced compensation, contending that the amount fixed by the NHAI was inadequate.
After the NHAI refused to revise the compensation, the affected farmers approached an arbitrator under the National Highways Act, 1956. The arbitrator directed the NHAI to pay 9 per cent interest for the first year from the date of land acquisition and 15 per cent interest thereafter until the entire amount is paid.
NHAI fails to secure relief in HC
Challenging the arbitrator’s award, the NHAI approached the Telangana High Court but failed to secure relief. The authority then moved the Supreme Court seeking intervention and a stay on farmers withdrawing the deposited amount.
However, the Supreme Court observed that it found no reason to interfere with the interim orders passed by the High Court and dismissed the SLP filed by the NHAI.
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