As per the 12th plan a total of 100,000 MW of generation capacity is required to be installed. For transmission of this power it is planned to construct about 2500 km of transmission network ranging from 220 kV to 880 kV transmission lines. This network of transmission lines shall passes through villages, cultivated land, horticulture area and dense to degraded forest area. The clearance from MoEF itself is quite a tedious part besides villagers do not get easily convinced to allow construction of Tower on their land and do not allow passing of over head conductors from their field. Serious ROW issues are raised when the line passes through dense orchards, cultivated fields and villages or above a temple or house. They also do not wish to part the land which is at prime location. They also oppose cutting of trees in their land. There are instances when people have gone to court and taken stay order. There are instances when people have demanded price as high as cost of full land for one tower location.
Over and above there are other transmission lines which needs to be crossed for which shut downs are required. Earlier every plant was making its own line and seeing a large net work of lines crisscrossing each other, a decision was taken by various state governments and central government that in future a common transmission system should be constructed so that all the projects are not required to make independent line. It is a good decision but if the common transmission line is made by CPSU PGCIL then it is a workable solution, but if, the line is belonging to a Private party then there are disputes on the sharing and ownership of the cost as well as transmission line losses, as well as the first right of transmission in case of breakdown of one circuit.
The author presents a case history of a Project constructed in HP while facing all such problems enumerated above with acute Right of Way issues.
