MANSEHRA: The revenue department has started a fresh survey of the land being acquired in Dodial area here for the Hassanadal-Thakot Motorway project.

The survey teams comprising officials of revenue department and National Highway Authority, which is executing the project, visited the various areas in Dodail and Shinkiari to determine price of the land in accordance with the formula already set by the government.

The teams are empowered to determine price of land being acquired for motorway project in accordance with the nature of the land as price of agriculture land is higher than that of the barren land.

“We have been directed not to purchase agriculture land from the project. But where there is no alternative we will also purchase agriculture land at higher prices,” said a surveyor on condition of anonymity.

Landowners in Dodial had raised objections on the motorway route and the price of their land fixed by the revenue department, which forced the government to start a fresh survey.

Sources said a delegation of landowners had met with deputy commissioner Iqbal Hussain and raised objection to the ‘low’ price of their land and route of the project. Following which, the DC had written a letter to the revenue department to fix prices in accordance with the nature of the land.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had performed ground-breaking of the second phase of the motorway from Havalian to Chaterplan at a public gathering here, last month.-Correspondent