Farmers lock MPRDC office in Ujjain, seek higher compensation

Ujjain: Farmers affected by the proposed Ujjain-Jawra greenfield highway staged a protest on Sunday and locked the office of Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation, demanding higher compensation and clarity on land acquisition awards.Around 100 to 150 farmers from Nagda-Khachrod, Ghattiya and Unhel areas reached the office in the afternoon and held a sit-in, raising slogans over compensation. The protest intensified after officials did not disclose the proposed award amount per bigha, following which farmers locked the chain gate of the premises.Farmer leader Rahulsingh Rajput said the protest was triggered by lack of transparency. "Farmers want the compensation amount to be disclosed before the award is passed. The current rates are too low, and we are demanding at least Rs 25 lakh per bigha," he said.Revenue officials, including SDMs from Ujjain, Ghattiya and Nagda-Khachrod, reached the spot and held discussions with the farmers. Officials said guideline rates in interior rural areas are low, which has led to dissatisfaction among landowners.Divisional manager of MPRDC, Vijaysingh, said farmers have been protesting for the past few days, seeking higher compensation. "They staged a sit-in at the office and locked the gate. Discussions were held and the situation was brought under control," he said.Officials asked farmers from Nagda-Khachrod to meet the local SDM on Monday for further discussions. The protesters later dispersed.The Rs 2,418 crore Ujjain-Jawra greenfield expressway project spans 102 km and will impact over 60 villages across Ujjain and Ratlam districts. The access-controlled corridor is planned to connect with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway near Jawra and is targeted for completion ahead of Simhastha 2028.