The controversy surrounding the Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project in Pakistan has taken a new turn, as reports suggest that the land records for areas earmarked for acquisition in tehsil Gujar Khan have gone missing.
A senior district administration official revealed that the land records for a mouza (village) in Gujar Khan, adjacent to tehsil Rawalpindi, have been reported as missing, creating obstacles in maintaining accurate records for land acquisition related to the Ring Road project.
This development has raised concerns, as it could potentially impact the land acquisition process. The official noted that a fire incident in 2002 had affected the record room for district judicial and land revenue cases, possibly leading to the loss of crucial land records. To address this issue, three assistant commissioners have been assigned to cross-check the land records with land revenue officials in the relevant tehsils.
The land acquisition process for the Rawalpindi Ring Road has not yet commenced officially, but preparations have been underway. The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) land branch and the district land revenue department have initiated surveys in the affected areas. The RDA officials have sought guidance from the district administration regarding the pricing of land for acquisition.
The project is expected to affect land in 36 villages, with eight villages located in Gujar Khan and the rest in Rawalpindi tehsil. The complete survey will provide details about the land and structures affected by the project.
The district price assessment committee had previously determined land prices, and section 4 was imposed in March 2022. However, land prices have reportedly changed significantly across the district since then.
In a meeting with Thalian residents, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha assured them that the government would acquire their land at commercial rates. This addressed concerns among villagers along the route from G.T. Road to the Motorway, who had feared that the government might acquire their land at outdated rates, despite substantial increases in land values over the past year.