Sabarkantha: The Idar–Badoli bypass on the National Highway 168G is being upgraded to a 4-lane highway with paved shoulders at an estimated cost of ₹705 crore. The highway, which originates near Mehsana from NH-68, passes through several towns including Idar, before terminating at NH-48 near Shamlaji. For the expansion of this highway, land acquisition was carried out in several villages of the Idar taluka. However, local from five affected villages have alleged discrimination in the compensation amounts granted by the authorities.

On Monday, over 100 locals from the villages of Sapawada, Vans, and Savgadh in Idar taluka staged a major protest. They gathered at the Idar Cooperative Gin and marched in a rally to the Prant office, raising slogans and demanding uniform compensation. A memorandum was submitted to the sub-divisional magistrate seeking equal compensation for all affected farmers.

The villagers claim that while their lands were acquired for the same project in the same taluka, the compensation amounts differ drastically, allegedly due to arbitrary land valuation by the concerned department. They emphasized that all acquired lands fall under the same administrative unit, and such disparity is unjust.

A local farmer said, “If the land belongs to the same taluka and the acquisition is for the same national project, why has the government adopted different compensation standards?” They expressed strong resentment over the issue and demanded immediate rectification by paying equal and fair compensation to all.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in March this year, had approved ₹705.09 crore for the construction of a 4-lane road with paved shoulders along the Idar–Badoli bypass (14.2 km) on NH-168G in Sabarkantha district. NH-168G originates near Mehsana from NH-68, passing through Visnagar, Vadnagar, Kheralu, Idar, Badoli, and Bhiloda, before terminating at NH-48 near Shamlaji, close to the Rajasthan border.

The existing stretch, which runs through Idar town, frequently experiences congestion due to limited right of way (RoW) and heavy traffic. Idar also serves as a key transit node for vehicles travelling to Ambaji, Mehsana, and Shamlaji. To address these issues, the road will be upgraded to a 4-lane configuration with paved shoulders, flexible pavement, grade-separated structures, and protective works, ensuring improved safety and smoother traffic flow.

While the highway promises regional development in the long run, affected villagers insist that justice must be delivered in the present—through fair and equal treatment in land compensation. DeshGujarat