Central Government Initiates Land Acquisition for NH-144A Expansion in Jammu and Kashmir

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued a statutory notification declaring the Central Government’s intention to acquire land in the Rajouri district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the development of National Highway 144A. Published in the Gazette of India on October 22, 2025, under the designation S.O. 4802(E), the notification was issued in exercise of the powers conferred by the National Highways Act, 1956. The acquisition is specifically directed toward the widening, maintenance, management, and operation of the highway stretch from kilometer 90.150 to kilometer 116.980, which constitutes Package-V of the Akhnoor to Poonch Road project. This legislative instrument identifies specific private non-irrigated land in Chatiyari village, located within the Rajouri Taluk, as essential for these public infrastructure works. The notification came into force immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette, marking the formal commencement of the acquisition proceedings for the identified land parcels.

The primary policy rationale behind this notification is the fulfillment of a public purpose through the enhancement of regional connectivity and road safety. By invoking the National Highways Act, 1956, the government seeks to address existing infrastructure limitations in the Union Territory, specifically targeting the Akhnoor-Poonch corridor. The legislation provided: “In exercise of powers conferred by Sub-section (1) of Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956) (here in after 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/two lane with paved shoulder etc.,) maintenance, management and operation of NH-144A in the stretch of land from Km. 90.150 to Km. 116.980 (Akhnoor to Poonch Road Package-V) in the district of Rajouri in the Union Territory of JAMMU KASHMIR, hereby declares its intention to acquire such land.”

To ensure procedural fairness and adhere to the principles of natural justice, the notification incorporates a statutory mechanism for dispute resolution. Any person with an interest in the scheduled land is permitted to object to its use for the highway project within twenty-one days of the notification's publication. Such objections must be submitted in writing to the designated Competent Authority, which in this instance is the Deputy Commissioner Land Acquisition Rajouri. The statutory framework requires the Competent Authority to provide the objector with an opportunity to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner (a person qualified to represent others in legal proceedings). Following a formal inquiry, the Competent Authority is mandated to issue an order either allowing or disallowing the objections, and the Act stipulates that such orders shall be final. This process facilitates the state's exercise of eminent domain (the power to take private property for public use) while providing a clear enforcement timeline and legal recourse for affected landowners.

Keywords: National Highways Act 1956, Land Acquisition, NH-144A, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajouri, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Infrastructure Development, Akhnoor to Poonch Road

Geo Tags: India, Jammu and Kashmir
District: Rajouri