The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) has completed the acquisition of a disputed 2.72-acre plot of land in Undavalli village, paving the way for the construction of the Amaravati Seed Access Road, people familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Engineering teams, along with personnel from Amaravati Development Corporation Ltd (ADCL) and NCC Ltd, which began the acquisition process on Saturday amid protests by local farmers, began construction of roads on Monday.
Tension prevailed in Undavalli village on Saturday and Sunday after APCRDA authorities seized land from 11 farmers under heavy police deployment. Farmers tried to stop officials, claiming that standing crops were being destroyed without compensation.
The protesting farmers demanded that the authorities stop work until their complaints are addressed and appropriate compensation is paid. However, the police removed the protesters from the site.
One farmer said: “We are not against development, but we want fair compensation. The authorities cannot take our land by force.”
The 2.72-acre plot of land, owned by 11 farmers in Undavalli village, was the final hurdle in completing the seed access road connecting Amaravati to National Highway 16.
A senior APCRDA official said that nearly 99.5% of farmers in the capital region have already surrendered their land under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS), leaving only a small portion of landowners outside the programme.
“We have repeatedly appealed to the remaining farmers, saying that voluntary land pooling would be much more beneficial than compulsory acquisition, and urged them not to let the process reach the stage of land acquisition notifications,” the official said.
In Undavalli village, close to the national highway, APCRDA initially proposed to acquire 20,323 acres. After extensive consultation, farmers owning approximately 10 acres agreed to join the local land plan, significantly reducing the amount of land requiring compulsory acquisition. As the remaining landowners continued to oppose the move, the authorities issued land acquisition notices covering 10.50 acres.
“The consultation process continued even after the notification was issued,” Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana told reporters on July 7. “As a result, more farmers later agreed to opt for land pooling.”
Negotiations continued after that, as more farmers agreed to join the LPS.
“With only 2,725 acres remaining outside the LPS, we have initiated the compulsory acquisition process,” the official said.
As per the land acquisition notification, APCRDA was issued $7.14 lakh crore compensation for the acquisition of 2,725 acres from 11 farmers, with approx. $2.62 crores per acre.
“Farmers were demanding to get the market value of $7 crore per acre, which was rejected,” the official said.
However, the farmers refused to accept the compensation checks upon delivery. The government is now depositing the compensation amount before the Land Acquisition Court in accordance with legal procedures.
“If they had approved LPS, each farmer would have received 1,450 square yards of developed plot for every acre of land they surrendered. According to market value, each plot would cost about $6 Crore Rs. The value of these developed lands is expected to rise significantly once Amaravati is fully developed and commissioned, providing long-term financial security to the participating farmers, the official added.
YSR Congress Party Legal Cell Chief M Manohar Reddy condemned the action taken by the government in Undavalli, saying what happened was not a routine land acquisition exercise but an attack on the livelihood of small and marginal farmers.
“The government has used heavy police force and bulldozers to destroy standing crops and forcefully seize farmers’ land,” Reddy said.
He alleged that the government deliberately chose the weekend to seize the land so that the farmers would not get immediate legal relief.
“The lands acquired from farmers are very expensive. While nearby lands were purchased for about $2,000 $8 crore per acre by TDP leaders and their partners, only farmers are being offered $Rs 2.60 crore per acre, he claimed.
