Central Government Acquires Right of User in Gujarat Land for ONGC Pipeline Project

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued a formal notification on October 17, 2025, declaring the acquisition of the right of user in specific land parcels in the State of Gujarat for the purpose of infrastructure development by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC). This statutory instrument, identified as S.O. 4778(E), was issued under the authority of the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962. The notification marks the conclusion of a procedural sequence that began with the government’s expressed intention to utilize land in the Mehsana District for laying a pipeline connecting drill sites SOB176 to SOB194 via SOB277. The acquisition affects various survey and block numbers within the villages of Kadvasan and Rampura Kukas, located in the Mehsana Taluka.

The legislative process for this acquisition was initiated through a preliminary notification on May 1, 2025, under Section 3(1) of the Act, which was made available for public scrutiny until May 6, 2025. Following this period, the Competent Authority conducted an assessment and submitted a report to the Central Government as required under Section 6(1) of the Act. Upon reviewing the report and being satisfied that the land was essential for the pipeline project, the Central Government exercised its power to formalize the acquisition. The notification specifies that the right of user came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette, effectively granting the necessary legal permissions to commence the energy infrastructure project.

The primary policy rationale behind this notification is to facilitate the efficient transport of petroleum resources by securing the necessary "right of user" (a legal easement allowing the use of land for specific purposes, such as laying pipelines, without transferring full ownership of the property). This statutory framework addresses the necessity of expanding national energy networks while providing a structured mechanism for land utilization. By invoking the 1962 Act, the government bypassed the need for full land title acquisition, which is often more time consuming and costly, opting instead for a limited interest that allows the pipeline to be laid and maintained while the underlying ownership remains largely with the original holders, subject to certain restrictions.

The legislation provided: “the Central Government hereby directs that the right of user in the said land for laying the pipeline shall, instead of vesting in the Central Government, vest on the date of publication of the declaration, in Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. free from all encumbrances.”

Under the provisions of Section 6(4) of the Act, the right of the user has been vested directly in ONGC. This transfer of rights ensures that the corporation holds the legal authority to enter the specified lands for construction and maintenance, free from any prior legal burdens or encumbrances. Furthermore, the notification clarifies the financial and legal liabilities associated with the project. It stipulates that ONGC shall be exclusively liable for the payment of compensation to affected landowners or interested parties in accordance with Section 10 of the Act. This provision ensures that the Central Government is indemnified against any future suits, claims, or legal proceedings arising from the pipeline operations or the acquisition process. The total area covered under this notification across the two villages amounts to approximately 3.43 hectares, distributed across thirty three distinct survey plots.

Keywords: Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines Act, ONGC, Land Acquisition, Right of User, Gujarat Infrastructure, Mehsana Pipeline, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Statutory Notification

Geo Tags: India, Gujarat
District: Mehsana