While the demolition of Narayan Rane's bungalow on the Mumbai-Goa NH17 around September last year assured locals of a just and fair system, the feeling was short-lived. Many villagers still struggle to get their land re-measured from PWD officials after receiving much lower or no compensation against their properties across the highway. A letter regarding re-evaluation was sent by the deputy collector to the PWD but a senior PWD officer earlier this week said that his juniors weren't following his orders. "If the juniors are not doing their work properly, then that is not our problem," the PWD officer told villagers.

The PWD officials had also created issues during the measurements in Tara village near Panvel on the NH17. The deputy collector had issued orders for revaluation of properties in Tara village twice. But no action has been taken. PWD officials had initially taken three different measurements of the same house, revealed an RTI query filed in the case.