The controversy over the disappearance of revenue records of 14 villages in Nangal subdivision has taken a political turn, with senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna seeking the intervention of the Punjab Governor, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann and the Chief Secretary to resolve the issue that has stalled the strategically important four-laning of the Kiratpur Sahib Nangal stretch of National Highway-503.
In separate letters addressed to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the Chief Secretary, Khanna cited a recent Tribune report and expressed concern that a vital infrastructure project connecting Punjab with Himachal Pradesh was being delayed because of missing land records.
Describing the situation as a serious administrative failure, Khanna urged the state government to fix responsibility for the disappearance of the revenue records and ensure early restoration of the documents so that development works could proceed without further delay.
Punjab BJP president Subhash Sharma also demanded a thorough police investigation into the case. He alleged that the missing land records could be linked to encroachments on government land in the Nangal area and said those responsible should be identified and prosecuted.
"The disappearance of revenue records has not only delayed development projects but has also encouraged illegal occupation of government land," Sharma said.
The missing revenue records have emerged as the biggest hurdle in the implementation of the proposed four-laning of the Kiratpur Sahib-Nangal highway, a project approved last year by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Punjab Education and Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains has repeatedly described the project as crucial for improving connectivity and reducing accidents on the heavily congested highway.
Official sources said the issuance of the land acquisition notification has been delayed because ownership records of 14 villages falling along the proposed alignment are unavailable.
Revenue authorities are now examining the possibility of issuing land acquisition notifications for unaffected villages while excluding the 14 villages, subject to NHAI approval.
The missing land record has also delayed the construction of the proposed Judicial Court Complex at Nangal. In a recent public notice, the Tehsildar Nangal invited residents possessing ownership documents relating to Khasra numbers in the village of Nikku Nangal to submit them, warning that the land could otherwise be declared government property under provisions of the Punjab Land Revenue Act.
Administrative sources said an FIR had already been registered regarding the missing records, but no significant progress had been made in the investigation.
Attempts to reconstruct the records with the help of retired revenue officials and modern survey techniques also failed to establish complete ownership details.
The missing records pertain to Sehjowal, Meghpur, Manakpur, Ajouli, Nikku Nangal, Nangali, Kalsera, Bandlehri, Dukli, Jol, Sagatpur, Kulgran, Bhatton and Daroli villages, leaving several development projects and routine revenue administration in limbo.