Central Government Declares Land Acquisition for Ambala-Chandigarh Greenfield National Highway Project in Haryana

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a formal notification, S.O. 3507(E), on July 29, 2025, declaring the final acquisition of land in the Ambala district of Haryana for the development of the Ambala - Chandigarh Greenfield NH-205-A (Package-I). This declaration was made in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3D of the National Highways Act, 1956. The acquisition pertains to a specific stretch of land from Km. 0.000 to Km. 3.850, intended for the building, maintenance, management, and operation of the highway project. The notification follows a preliminary declaration of intent issued on April 16, 2025, which initiated the statutory process for public infrastructure development.

The administrative process leading to this acquisition involved the publication of the substance of the initial notification in the Hindustan Times and Jagmarg on April 24, 2025, as required under Section 3A of the Act. Following these publications, the competent authority received and considered objections filed under Section 3C, which pertains to the right of interested persons to object to the use of the land for the proposed highway. After settling these objections and receiving a comprehensive report from the competent authority, the Central Government moved to finalize the acquisition. The legislation came into force immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette on July 29, 2025.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to secure the necessary land for the widening and four-laning of the Ambala - Chandigarh Greenfield corridor. This project is categorized as a greenfield highway (a new route constructed on undeveloped land) designed to improve regional connectivity and traffic management. The statutory framework of the National Highways Act, 1956, provides the government with the authority to acquire private land for public purposes, ensuring that the infrastructure expansion meets national transport requirements.

The legislation provided: “the Central Government hereby declares that on publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, the land specified in the said Schedule shall vest absolutely in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances.”

The legal consequence of this declaration is the absolute vesting of the land in the Central Government, meaning the state now holds full and unencumbered title to the property. This removes any encumbrances (legal claims, liabilities, or third-party rights) that may have previously existed on the land. The specific parcel identified in the schedule is 0.3793 hectares of private agricultural land located in Manakpur village within the Ambala City taluk. By completing this acquisition under Section 3D, the government has addressed the statutory requirements for transitioning private property to public use, clearing the way for the National Highways Authority of India to commence construction and management of the NH-205-A stretch.

Keywords: National Highways Act 1956, Land Acquisition, Ambala Chandigarh Greenfield, NH-205-A, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Haryana Infrastructure, Section 3D Notification, Gazette of India

Geo Tags: India, Haryana
District: Ambala