Srinagar, Jan. 30 -- Suhail Rather

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has stayed the proposed takeover of private land in Ajas village of Bandipora district for construction of a road under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), directing the authorities not to proceed without following due legal process. Nine residents of Ajas village had approached the Court seeking protection of their land, contending that the PMGSY authorities were planning to construct the Ajas-Charawan road, sanctioned under PMGSY-IV, through their private property without lawful acquisition. The petitioners submitted that despite lodging a formal complaint with the Chief Engineer, PMGSY, in Srinagar, the department continued with project preparati...