Central Government Notifies Land Acquisition for Mahabubnagar-Dhone Railway Doubling Project in Telangana

The Ministry of Railways (South Central Railway) issued a notification, S.O. 1062(E), on February 28, 2025, formally declaring the acquisition of land for the Mahabubnagar - Dhone doubling project, a Special Railway Project located in the Mahabubnagar district of Telangana. This notification followed an earlier declaration of intent by the Central Government, published on March 4, 2024, as S.O. 1006 (E) in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3 Sub-section (ii). The initial notification was issued under sub-section (1) of section 20(A) of the Railway Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), outlining the government's intention to acquire land for the execution, maintenance, management, and operation of this critical railway infrastructure project. The substance of the said notification was subsequently published in daily newspapers, including THE HINDU, HINDI MILAP, NAMASTHE TELANGANA, and MANA TELANGANA, on March 13, 2024, in compliance with sub-section (4) of section 20A of the Railway Act. For the villages of Jannappapally, Machanpally, Allipur, Muthyalampally, Balsupally, and Venkataipally within Mahabubnagar district, no objections were received regarding the proposed acquisition, and the competent authority duly considered these matters before passing necessary orders. Following this, the competent authority submitted its report to the Central Government in pursuance of sub-section (1) of section 20E of the said Act. Upon receipt of this report, the Central Government proceeded with the final declaration of acquisition. The notification specifies that the lands detailed in the annexed schedule shall be acquired for the stated purpose and, crucially, will vest absolutely in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances (claims or liabilities on the property), upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to facilitate the timely and unhindered progress of the Mahabubnagar - Dhone doubling project, which is designated as a Special Railway Project. This project aims to enhance railway connectivity and capacity by adding a second line between Mahabubnagar and Dhone stations. The earlier legal position established by the Railway Act, 1989, provides the statutory framework for such land acquisitions, ensuring a structured process that includes public notification of intent and consideration of objections. The current notification addresses the procedural requirements following the initial declaration of intent, specifically by formalizing the acquisition after the competent authority's report confirmed the absence of objections for the specified villages. The legislation provided: “...the Central Government hereby declares that the lands specified in the schedule annexed hereto shall be acquired for the aforesaid purpose; And further, in pursuance of sub-section (2) of section 20E of the said Act, the Central Government here by declares that on publication of this notification in the official Gazette, the land specified in the schedule annexed here to shall vest absolutely in the Central Government free from all encumbrances.” This ensures that the acquired land becomes the property of the Central Government without any pre-existing claims, allowing for the smooth execution of the railway project. The detailed schedule appended to the notification lists specific land parcels, including survey numbers, land classification (Patta/Govt), acquisition area in acres and guntas, and details of any assets like borewells, constructions, or trees, thereby providing a clear record of the properties being acquired. This mechanism ensures statutory precision and transparency in the land acquisition process for public infrastructure development.

Keywords: Land acquisition, Railway Act 1989, Mahabubnagar-Dhone doubling, Telangana, Ministry of Railways, Special Railway Project, Infrastructure
Geo Tags: India, Telangana
District: Mahabubnagar