PHAGWARA: Construction work on the Delhi–Katra and Jamnagar expressways passing through the Sultanpur Lodhi constituency has been brought to a complete standstill after farmers launched an indefinite protest against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The sit-in protest, organised under the banner of the Road Sangharsh Committee, has intensified tensions in the area as farmers allege they have not been given adequate compensation for their acquired land.
Farmers participating in the protest stated that despite repeated representations, the NHAI has failed to provide fair and justified compensation for their land. They further alleged that even after approaching the court for relief, the authority has not been presenting its stand properly, leaving the affected farmers in prolonged uncertainty. As a result, they said they were left with no option but to halt construction activities until their demands are addressed.
Addressing the gathering, Road Sangharsh Committee president Prabh Dayal Singh, along with leaders Parmjit Singh Khalsa, Tarsem Singh, Bibi Jaswinder Kaur Tibba, and Ranjit Singh Rana, announced that the protest would continue for an indefinite period. They accused the NHAI of misleading farmers on compensation matters and deliberately delaying a resolution.
Leaders also stated that several farmer organisations have extended full support to the agitation, strengthening the protest on the ground. The farmers maintained that development projects should not come at the cost of injustice to landowners and reiterated that construction work would remain suspended until fair compensation is ensured.
The protest has once again highlighted the growing friction between infrastructure development agencies and farming communities, with protesters demanding transparency, accountability, and respect for farmers’ rights in land acquisition processes.