Central Government Declares Intention to Acquire Land for NH552G Development in Ujjain

The Central Government, acting through the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, has formally initiated the process for land acquisition to facilitate the development of National Highway 552G in the state of Madhya Pradesh. By issuing Notification S.O. 3497(E) under the powers conferred by the National Highways Act, 1956, the executive branch has signaled its intent to take possession of specific land parcels required for the public purpose of building, maintaining, and operating the highway. The acquisition focuses on a stretch of land extending from kilometer 32.22 to kilometer 42.1, situated within the Ujjain district. This legislative instrument was published in the Official Gazette and came into force on July 29, 2025.

The scope of the acquisition encompasses a total area of 48.2896 hectares, affecting various land types across the Makdon taluk. The specific villages identified in the statutory schedule include Jhalari, Dhablahardu, Jhalara, Pat, and Padsi. The land under consideration involves a mix of private agricultural and commercial holdings, as well as government-owned property currently utilized for roads, riverbeds, and communal purposes. The notification serves as a formal declaration of the state's necessity to utilize these areas for the widening or expansion of the highway into a two-lane or four-lane configuration with paved shoulders.

The legislation provided: “In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government, after being satisfied that for the public purpose, the land, the brief description of which is given in the Schedule below, is required for building (widening/two lane with paved shoulder/four laning etc.,), maintenance, management and operation of NH552G in the stretch of land from Km. 32.22 to Km. 42.1 in the district of UJJAIN in the state of MADHYA PRADESH, hereby declares its intention to acquire such land.”

The statutory framework established by the National Highways Act, 1956, provides a structured mechanism for addressing the rights of affected persons. Any individual with an interest in the designated land is permitted to submit objections to the proposed acquisition within twenty-one days from the date of the notification's publication. Such objections must be submitted in writing to the Competent Authority, identified as the Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) of Tarana. The law mandates that the Competent Authority must grant objectors an opportunity to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner. Following a formal inquiry and hearing, the authority is empowered to issue orders either allowing or disallowing the objections.

The policy rationale for this measure is the urgent legal necessity to upgrade national infrastructure to support economic growth and regional mobility. By utilizing the delegated legislation (law made by the executive under the authority of an Act of Parliament), the government addresses existing statutory gaps in the local road network. The enforcement mechanism relies on Section 3C of the Act, which stipulates that any order made by the Competent Authority regarding land objections shall be final. This ensures a definitive timeline for the commencement of construction and management activities. The acquisition process substitutes the previous land status with a state-controlled infrastructure corridor, effectively overriding prior private or local government claims once the statutory requirements are satisfied.

Keywords: National Highways Act 1956, Land Acquisition, NH552G, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, S.O. 3497(E), Infrastructure Development, Statutory Notification

Geo Tags: India, Madhya Pradesh
District: Ujjain