Bihar Accelerates Land Acquisition for Patna–Purnia Expressway with Focus on Fair Compensation
Patna: The land acquisition process for the proposed Patna–Purnia Greenfield Expressway is set to accelerate, with the Bihar Revenue and Land Reforms Department directing a special review of Minimum Value Register (MVR) rates across six districts. The move comes under the Centre’s Bharatmala Project Phase-II and aims to ensure fair compensation and transparency.
The directive, issued following a high-level review chaired by Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena on July 17, mandates collectors of Vaishali, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Saharsa, Madhepura and Purnia to act swiftly and transparently. Approval from the Central Valuation Committee is now a prerequisite before issuing any preliminary land acquisition notification.
Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh underscored the legal obligation under Section 26(3) of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, which requires the collector to reassess compensation based on prevailing market rates. He further highlighted that under the Bihar Stamp (Amendment) Rules, 2013, provisions exist for a special revision of MVR in public interest.
The decision is intended to prevent delays in the rollout of critical infrastructure while ensuring landowners—especially farmers—are adequately compensated at current market rates. Officials say this step reflects the administration’s commitment to fairness and public trust in large-scale development projects.
