Central Government Designates Arbitrators for Special Railway Projects in Gujarat

The Ministry of Railways, Western Railway (Construction Organization), issued Notification S.O. 5515(E) on December 1, 2025, published in The Gazette of India. This notification, originating from Mumbai, was issued by the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred by clause 20F (6) of the Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008. The primary purpose of its issuance was to formally authorize specific officers to act as arbitrators for designated Special Railway Projects within the state of Gujarat. The notification specifies that the Central Government authorized these officers to perform the functions of such authorities under the said Act. Specifically, the Commissioner of Fisheries was nominated to act as an Arbitrator for the Petlad Bhadran Gauge Conversion Project in Anand district, while the Commissioner of Tribal Development was nominated for the Nadiad-Petlad Gauge Conversion Project in Kheda district. This authorization came into effect from the date of the notification's publication in the Official Gazette.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to streamline the dispute resolution process for critical railway infrastructure projects by clearly identifying and empowering the necessary authorities. The Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008, established a framework for arbitration, and this notification serves to operationalize that framework by appointing specific individuals to fulfill the role of arbitrators for particular projects. This addresses the practical requirement of having designated arbitrators to handle potential disputes arising during the execution of these special railway initiatives. The notification ensures that the functions of an arbitrator, as outlined in the parent Act, can be effectively performed for these projects. The legislation provided: “...the Central Government hereby authorised the officers nominated in column (2) of the Table below to act as an Arbitrator to perform the functions of such authorities under the said Act in respect of Special Railway Project as mentioned in column (4) of the table below in the state of Gujarat with effect from the date of publication of this notification in the official Gazette.” By designating these officers, the Central Government aims to facilitate the timely and efficient completion of these gauge conversion projects, which are vital for regional connectivity and development. The notification ensures that the legal mechanism for dispute resolution is in place, thereby preventing potential delays that could arise from the absence of clearly appointed arbitrators.

Keywords: Railways (Amendment) Act 2008, Arbitrator, Special Railway Project, Gujarat, Ministry of Railways, Notification, Gauge Conversion, Anand, Kheda

Geo Tags: India, Gujarat District: Anand, Kheda