Central Government Initiates Land Acquisition for Indore-Dahod Railway Project in Madhya Pradesh

The Ministry of Railways, through its Western Railway (Construction Organization), issued a Notification, S.O. 627(E), on February 6, 2025, declaring its intention to acquire land for a significant public purpose. This delegated legislation, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii), formally commenced the process for acquiring land in Village Rupakheda, Tehsil Sardarpur, District Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. The notification specified that the land was required for the execution of a Special Railway Project, specifically the Indore-Dahod new Broad Gauge (BG) railway line, which is a crucial infrastructure development for the region. The legal basis for this action was derived from the powers conferred by sub-section (i) of section 20A of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989). The notification came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The primary aim of this notification is to facilitate the construction of the new BG railway line connecting Dahod to Indore, passing through Jhabua, Sardarpur, Dhar, and Pithampur in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh. This project is intended to enhance railway connectivity and transportation infrastructure in the region, serving the broader public interest. The notification outlined the procedure for affected persons to raise objections to the proposed land acquisition. Any individual with an interest in the specified land was granted a period of thirty days from the date of the notification's publication in the Official Gazette to submit objections. These objections, concerning the acquisition and use of the land for the railway project, were to be made in writing to the competent authority, identified as the Sub-Divisional Officer Land Acquisition Officer, Tehsil Dhar District-Dhar (M.P.). The competent authority was mandated to provide the objector an opportunity of being heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner, and could, after hearing all objections and conducting any necessary further inquiry, issue an order either allowing or disallowing the objections. The legislation provided: “Any order made by the competent authority under sub-section (II) of section 20(D) of the said act shall be final.” This provision ensures a definitive resolution to the objection process. Furthermore, the notification informed interested parties that land plans and other detailed information regarding the land covered under this acquisition were available for inspection at the office of the Competent Authority. The schedule annexed to the notification provided a brief description of the land parcels, including Khasra numbers and affected area in hectares, totaling 4.7733 hectares in Village Rupakheda.

The legislative intent behind such notifications under the Railways Act, 1989, is to enable the Central Government to acquire land expeditiously for public utility projects, such as railway lines, which are vital for national development and connectivity. The Railways Act, 1989, provides a statutory framework for the construction, maintenance, and operation of railways, including provisions for land acquisition. This specific notification addresses the practical necessity of acquiring private land for the expansion of the railway network, thereby filling the gap in land availability for the Indore-Dahod project. The process outlined, including the opportunity for objections and a hearing, reflects a balance between public interest in infrastructure development and the rights of affected landowners. The finality of the competent authority's order aims to streamline the acquisition process, preventing undue delays in projects deemed essential for public welfare. This mechanism ensures that while individual concerns are heard, the overarching policy rationale of developing critical transportation links is not unduly hampered.

Keywords: Railways Act 1989, land acquisition, Indore-Dahod railway, Broad Gauge line, Madhya Pradesh, Dhar district, Ministry of Railways, public purpose, infrastructure project, land acquisition notification

Geo Tags: Country: India, State: Madhya Pradesh
District: Dhar