Central Government Initiates Land Acquisition for Four Laning of National Highway 135A in Uttar Pradesh

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a statutory notification on July 29, 2025, declaring the Central Government’s formal intention to acquire land in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. This notification, registered as S.O. 3499(E), was issued in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956. The acquisition is designated for a public purpose, specifically for the widening, four-laning, maintenance, management, and operation of National Highway No. 135A. The project focuses on a significant stretch of land from design chainage Km. 139.00 to Km. 179.20, which includes the Jaunpur-Akbarpur section under Package-III and the Akbarpur bypass. The legislation came into force immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The land identified for acquisition is situated within the Phulpur Taluk and spans the villages of Larpur Gauhara, Chak Kurha, Sikandar Patti, and Saraipul. The total area scheduled for acquisition amounts to 0.4219 hectares. The schedule accompanying the notification details various land types, including private agricultural land and government-owned plots classified as banjar (unproductive land) and navin parati (fallow land). Notably, the acquisition also affects land currently utilized for public infrastructure, such as existing roads and a school. By invoking the National Highways Act, the government has set in motion the legal process to transition these parcels from private or local use to the control of the National Highways Authority for infrastructure development.

The legislative intent and policy rationale behind this notification are rooted in the necessity to upgrade the national highway network to accommodate increasing traffic volumes and improve regional logistics. The National Highways Act, 1956, provides the statutory framework for the Union to acquire land for highway projects, bypassing more protracted general land acquisition procedures to ensure the timely completion of essential infrastructure. This specific notification addresses the statutory requirement to notify the public of the government's intent before the land is formally vested in the State.

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/Four Laning), Maintenance, management and operation of National Highway No. 135A...”

To balance the state's power of eminent domain (the power of the government to take private property for public use) with the rights of landholders, the notification outlines a strict enforcement mechanism for grievances. Any person interested in the land may, within twenty-one days from the date of the gazette publication, file an objection to the use of the land under sub-section (1) of section 3C of the Act. These objections must be submitted in writing to the Competent Authority, designated as the Special Land Acquisition Officer (J.O.) in Azamgarh. The statutory framework mandates that the Competent Authority provide the objector with an opportunity to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner. Following an inquiry, the authority will issue an order either allowing or disallowing the objections. Under the Act, any such order made by the Competent Authority is final, effectively concluding the administrative challenge phase of the acquisition process. Detailed land plans have been made available for public inspection at the office of the Competent Authority to ensure transparency for all affected persons and institutions.

Keywords: National Highways Act 1956, Land Acquisition, NH-135A, Uttar Pradesh Infrastructure, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Azamgarh Land Acquisition, Four-Laning Project

Geo Tags: India, Uttar Pradesh
District: Azamgarh