APCRDA takes possession of land for Seed Access Road amid farmers’ protest

The Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) on Saturday took possession of about 2.5 acres of land belonging to 10 farmers at five locations along the proposed Seed Access Road in Undavalli village, triggering tension as landowners resisted the move.

The farmers alleged that the authorities had forcibly taken possession of their lands by deploying police personnel despite their repeated appeals to consider alternative alignments to protect their holdings. They said they were unwilling to part with their lands either under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) or the Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation (LAAR) Act, and accused the government of using force instead of addressing their concerns. Some of them also demanded higher compensation, contending that their lands commanded a much higher market value than other parcels in the region.

The APCRDA, however, maintained that the remaining pockets of land had become a major obstacle to the completion of the Seed Access Road, which it described as the backbone of Amaravati’s road network. Officials said the pending parcels had stalled progress on the key infrastructure project being developed as part of the capital city spread across nearly 50,000 acres, including more than 33,000 acres voluntarily contributed by farmers from 29 villages during the first phase of the Land Pooling Scheme.

During a recent inspection of Amaravati infrastructure works, Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P. Narayana had said that the government was prepared to secure the remaining lands either through the LPS or under the LAAR Act from farmers who were refusing to part with their holdings.

According to APCRDA officials, the land taken into possession belonged to Dandamudi Sambasiva Rao (0.595 acres in Survey Nos. 22-C2 and 22-A1), Gade Hanumantha Rao Naidu (0.28 acres in Survey No. 28-B1), Gurrala Gopal (0.30 acres in Survey No. 238-1), Gurrala Sai Chittibabu (0.38 acres in Survey No. 238-1), Meka Vijay Kumar Reddy (0.08 acres in Survey No. 262-A2B), Singamsetti Anupama (0.43 acres in Survey No. 266-2B), Polishetty Sambasiva Rao (0.35 acres in Survey No. 268-2B/3B), Mannem Keshava Narayana Reddy (0.01 acres in Survey No. 26-A3B), Sandu Pedda Basavayya (0.13 acres in Survey No. 239-1) and Sandu Chinna Basavayya (0.25 acres in Survey No. 239-1). Officials said these parcels constituted the remaining land required for the completion of the Seed Access Road project.