Man denies Rs 2 crore compensation for construction of new highway surrounding his house, here's what govt did then

A determined grandfather in China, who refused to sell his home for a highway project, is now living in a house situated in the middle of the motorway after its completion. Huang Ping's two-storey residence in Jinxi is now encircled by a construction site, and the constant dust and noise from builders are causing him to regret his decision to decline the £180,000 (approximately Rs 2 crore) offer he received.

Huang expressed that the Chinese government's financial offer now seems reasonable as he worries about what living in his property will be like once the expressway opens. "If I could turn back time, I would agree to the demolition conditions they offered. Now it feels like I lost a big bet," he said.

A video shared on social media shows the two-storey house surrounded by the expansive highway, with its roof nearly level with two lanes of the motorway.

January 25, 2025

The grandfather lives with his 11-year-old grandson, initially refused to move because he was unhappy with the government's offer. After long negotiations, the authorities conceded and began construction around his home.

The old man's resistance has turned his house into a popular attraction, with residents visiting to take photos. He is now referred to as the “strong nail house owner” in China. The term "nail house" describes an occupied home whose owners are resisting property development.

These properties often end up surrounded by debris or have developers constructing around them. Owners go to great lengths to protect their homes, even as skyscrapers and shopping malls rise nearby or roads are planned to pass through them.

In 2017, a prominent "nail house" in Shanghai, which had blocked traffic on a major road for nearly 14 years, was finally demolished. The residents had turned down all relocation offers since 2003, citing insufficient compensation, but eventually agreed to move for £300,000.