Central Government Declares Land Acquisition for National Highway Widening in Chittoor

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued Notification S.O. 1972(E) on June 18, 2020, formally declaring the acquisition of land for the widening and development of National Highway No. 234 (New NH-75) in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. This notification follows an earlier declaration of intent by the Central Government, which was published as S.O. 2051(E) on June 21, 2019, under sub-section (1) of section 3A of the National Highway Act, 1956. The initial notification outlined the Central Government's intention to acquire land for the building, maintenance, management, and operation of a specific stretch of the highway, from Km. 552.950 to 577.545 (Mangalore - Thiruvannamalai road). The substance of that declaration was subsequently published in The Hindu English daily and Saakshi Telugu daily on August 15, 2019, as mandated by sub-section (3) of section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956. Following the public notice, no objections were received by the competent authority from any person regarding the proposed acquisition. Consequently, the competent authority submitted its report to the Central Government, leading to the issuance of the present notification. Upon its publication in the Official Gazette, the land specified in the Schedule annexed to the notification vested absolutely in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances (legal claims or liabilities on a property).

This notification serves to formalize the acquisition process, enabling the Central Government to proceed with critical infrastructure development. The legislative intent behind such declarations is to facilitate the expansion and improvement of national highways, which are vital for economic growth and connectivity. The earlier legal position involved a declaration of intent to acquire, which initiated a public consultation process allowing for objections. The current notification addresses the statutory requirement to proceed with the actual acquisition once the initial procedural steps, including public notice and review of objections, have been completed. The National Highway Act, 1956, provides a structured framework for land acquisition for highway projects, ensuring due process. This particular notification, issued under sub-section (1) and sub-section (2) of section 3D of the said Act, marks the conclusive stage of the acquisition, transferring ownership to the Central Government. The legislation provided: “...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.” This vesting ensures that the land is available for the intended purpose without any further legal impediments, thereby allowing for the timely execution of the highway widening project. The notification lists specific parcels of land, identified by survey numbers, type, nature, area in hectares, and names of land owners, all located in the Venkatagiri Kota Taluk, specifically in the villages of Boyachinnagana Palli and Mudaramdoddi, within the Chittoor district.

Keywords: Land Acquisition, National Highway, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NH-234, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh, Infrastructure Development, Government Notification, National Highway Act 1956, Land Vesting

Geo Tags: India, Andhra Pradesh District: Chittoor