Thiruvananthapuram: As per the estimates released by the Union Government, Kerala has spent the most on National Highway development when compared to other states.
Over the past five years, the state has spent a whopping Rs 5580 crore towards land acquisition for the NH project.
Haryana, meanwhile, comes a distant second with Rs 3114 crore, followed by Uttar Pradesh, which spent Rs 2301 crore. Bihar – Rs 733 crore, Delhi - Rs 654 crore, Karnataka Rs 276 crore and Tamil Nadu -Rs 235 crore occupied the remaining positions. This is even as states like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have spent no amount on land acquisition.
At the same time, the National Highway Authority has spent the highest share on land acquisition and related activities in Maharashtra in the past five years, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Kerala. In Maharashtra, the agency spent about Rs 27,568 crore, while in UP, it spent Rs 23,134 crore. The agency spent Rs 22,119 crore in Kerala.
While the NHAI is implementing road development projects in most states on its own, Kerala had to bear 25 per cent of the cost of land acquisition.
