Wall of Protest: Haryana Farmer Builds Barrier on Highway Over Land Compensation Dispute
In a dramatic protest against delayed and inadequate compensation, a resident of Pehowa, Haryana, took matters into his own hands—quite literally. Balwinder Singh, accompanied by his family and a group of labourers, began constructing a brick wall right in the middle of the Kurukshetra-Pehowa state highway on Tuesday, aiming to block traffic and draw attention to his long-pending land compensation case.
As bricks were stacked and the wall rose, commuters were forced to detour through nearby fields. Soon, police and Public Works Department (PWD) officials arrived at the scene, urging Balwinder to stop. But he stood firm, demanding justice and market-rate compensation for his 22 marla land acquired by the government for the road project over a decade ago.
“This land was wrongfully taken. The government must either compensate us fairly or return it,” said Balwinder, highlighting a legal battle that has stretched over 15 years.
According to his advocate, Mithun Attri, Balwinder’s struggle began in 2010 after a demarcation revealed that the highway cut through his land. A court case followed, and in 2013, the Pehowa court ordered the government to either compensate him or return the land. However, despite subsequent court directions—including a possession order in 2018—adequate compensation never arrived.
While the government claims to have paid ₹5.5 lakh, Balwinder maintains that the amount is far below market rates. The matter has bounced between courts, with the Punjab and Haryana High Court and sessions court both recently dismissing the state’s applications.
Frustrated by the ongoing delay, Balwinder staged a similar protest in 2023 but had called it off after receiving assurances from local officials. This time, however, he says he won’t back down without action.
Police later cleared the obstruction and detained four individuals involved in the wall construction. No arrests were made, but a case has been registered under charges of blocking public movement without informing the administration.
“We are committed to providing rightful compensation, as per the court’s directions,” said Executive Engineer Rishi Sachdeva of PWD (B&R), adding that the matter is under process.
For Balwinder, however, the issue is about more than just money. “It’s about justice. We’ve waited too long,” he said.
