BHUBANESWAR: The State Government will speed up land acquisition to expedite national highway (NH) projects. Taking stock at a review meeting here, Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik directed the Revenue Department to accelerate land acquisition and hand over the lands to the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI). Particularly, the progress in four-laning of Bhubaneswar-Puri section (NH-203), Sambalpur-Bargarh-Luharacheti (Orissa-Chhattisgarh border of NH-6), Remuli-Rajamunda section of NH-215, Panikolili-Keonjhar-Remuli Road of same NH and Chandikhol-Duburi-Talcher (NH-200/23) was discussed. Three teams will be constituted for acquisition of land for bypass portion of land required for the Bhubaneswar-Puri road. The Chief Secretary directed the officers concerned to complete land acquisition within 15 days. It was decided that more revenue inspectors and amins will be engaged on contractual basis from among the retired personnel to complete the work in time. The NHAI will start work in non-forest lands and submit proposal for diversion of forest lands. One more land acquisition officer will be posted by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department within 15 days. The Forest Department will allow tree felling in non-forest land for expediting the projects. The proposal for translocation of trees along Bhubaneswar-Puri road was also discussed. The trees cut will be handed over to Orissa Forest Development Corporation. Portions of NH-203 will pass through 11 village areas in Khurda district and 65 village areas in Puri District. NH-6 will pass through nine village areas in Sambalpur and 45 village areas in Bargarh district. NH-215 will pass through 17 village areas in Keonjhar and 21 village areas in Sundargarh district while NH-215 (Panikoili- Keonjhar) will pass through 28 villages areas of Jajpur and 109 village areas of Keonjhar district. NH-200/23 will pass through one village area of Angul, 58 of Dhenkanal and 10 of Jajpur district. Notification has already been issued for land acquisition in the concerned areas and in some areas compensation has already been disbursed among the displaced. Revenue and Forest departments have been directed to take up joint verification of the proposed acquired land and quicken the process of acquisition.