Central Government Acquires Land in Madhya Pradesh for Dahod-Indore Special Railway Project

The Ministry of Railways issued a formal notification on June 26, 2025, confirming the acquisition of land in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh for the development of a new Broad Gauge railway line. This notification, identified as S.O. 2871(E), was released by the Western Railway’s Construction Organization under the authority of the Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008. The acquisition is specifically directed toward the execution, maintenance, management, and operation of a Special Railway Project connecting Dahod to Indore. The project is slated to cover a distance of 204.76 kilometers, passing through Jhabua, Sardarpur, Dhar, and Pithampur. The notification marks the culmination of a statutory process that began with a preliminary declaration of intent issued in November 2024.

The procedural history of this acquisition involved the publication of the initial intent in the Gazette of India and subsequent advertisements in daily newspapers, specifically the Free Press and Raj Express, in December 2024. These public notices were intended to allow affected persons to raise objections as per the requirements of the law. In the case of Dudhi village, located within the Rama Taluka, the competent authority reported that no objections were received from the local landholders. Following the submission of this report to the Central Government, the executive branch exercised its powers to finalize the acquisition of the land parcels specified in the official schedule.

The legislation provided: “the Central Government hereby declares that on publication of this notification in the official Gazette, the land specified in the schedule annexed hereto shall vest absolutely in the Central government free from all encumbrances.”

The legal consequence of this declaration is the immediate transfer of ownership to the Union of India. By vesting the land free from all encumbrances (legal claims, liens, or liabilities), the government ensures that the construction of the new rail line can proceed without proprietary interruptions. The land identified in the schedule includes various Khasara numbers (land record identification numbers) belonging to several individuals designated as Bhumi Swami (landowners). The affected parties include members of the Patelia and Bhil communities, whose holdings in Dudhi village have now been formally incorporated into the project’s geographical scope.

The legislative intent behind this action is grounded in the policy of enhancing regional connectivity through the expansion of the national railway network. The statutory framework provided by the Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008, was specifically designed to expedite the acquisition process for Special Railway Projects, addressing previous limitations in the Railways Act, 1989, which often led to prolonged delays in infrastructure delivery. By utilizing Section 20E of the amended Act, the government has moved from the stage of intention to absolute vesting. This transition effectively terminates private rights over the specified plots to serve the broader public purpose of establishing a vital transport corridor between Dahod and Indore. The notification came into force immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette, providing the Ministry of Railways with the legal mandate to commence physical work on the identified sites.

Keywords: Land Acquisition, Ministry of Railways, Madhya Pradesh, Jhabua, Railways Amendment Act 2008, Special Railway Project, Dahod-Indore Rail Line, Gazette Notification

Geo Tags: India, Madhya Pradesh
District: Jhabua