Central Government Declares Land Acquisition for Nalpur-Bauria Road Over Bridge Project in West Bengal

The Ministry of Railways, through the South Eastern Railway’s Construction Organization, issued a formal notification on October 15, 2025, declaring the final acquisition of land for a significant infrastructure project in West Bengal. This statutory declaration, published as S.O. 4687(E), marks the culmination of the legal process required for the construction of the Nalpur-Bauria Road Over Bridge (ROB). The project, identified as a Special Railway Project, is situated at Level Crossing No. 18 within the Howrah-Kharagpur section. This administrative action follows the preliminary notification issued on July 9, 2025, which initially signaled the Union Government’s intention to acquire specific land parcels for the execution, maintenance, and management of the railway infrastructure.

The legislative process for this acquisition was governed by the Railways Act, 1989. Following the initial notification under Section 20A of the Act, the substance of the proposal was published in the Bengali daily Bartaman and the English daily The Telegraph on July 16, 2024, to ensure public awareness and provide an opportunity for affected parties to raise objections. The competent authority reported that no petitions or objections were received during the statutory period. Consequently, the Central Government exercised its delegated powers to move from the intention to acquire to the final declaration of acquisition. The land involved encompasses approximately 0.14027 hectares located in Burikhali village, under the jurisdiction of the Bauria Police Station in the Uluberia II Block of Howrah District.

The legislation provided: “the Central Government hereby declares that on the 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 policy rationale behind this measure is to address the logistical and safety challenges posed by existing level crossings. By constructing a Road Over Bridge, the Ministry aims to improve the operational efficiency of the South Eastern Railway while ensuring smoother transit for road traffic. The statutory framework of the Railways Act, 1989, provides the necessary enforcement mechanism to bypass the limitations of traditional land procurement, allowing for the swift vesting of property in the state for public utility. The schedule annexed to the notification details various types of land being acquired, including commercial shops (dokan), fallow land (danga), and residential plots (bastu). These parcels, previously held by private individuals, are now legally transferred to the Central Government to facilitate the immediate commencement of the Special Railway Project.

The transition of these lands from private ownership to the Union of India occurred immediately upon the publication of the notification in the Official Gazette. This legal shift ensures that the project site is cleared of all prior claims or encumbrances (legal burdens or third-party rights), providing a clean title for the South Eastern Railway’s Construction Organization. The notification identifies several recorded tenants and private owners whose interests are affected by this acquisition, ranging from individual landowners to local educational institutions. By fulfilling the procedural requirements of Section 20E of the Act, the government has established the legal necessity and statutory authority required to proceed with the Nalpur-Bauria infrastructure development without further administrative delay.

Keywords: Land Acquisition, Railways Act 1989, South Eastern Railway, Road Over Bridge, Howrah, West Bengal, Ministry of Railways, Special Railway Project

Geo Tags: India, West Bengal
District: Howrah