Central Government Notifies Land Acquisition for Manmad-Jalgaon 4th Railway Line Project

The Ministry of Railways (Central Railway) issued a Notification, S.O. 5550(E), on December 1, 2025, which was subsequently published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, on December 2, 2025. This notification formally declared the acquisition of specific lands for the Manmad-Jalgaon 4th Line Special Railway Project in the Jalgaon district of Maharashtra. The issuance of this notification followed an earlier declaration of intention to acquire land, which was made through Notification S.O. 5624(E) dated December 27, 2024, published on June 25, 2024, under sub-section (1) of section 20A of the Railway Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), as amended by the Railway (Amendment) Act, 2008 (11 of 2008). The substance of the initial notification was published in daily newspapers between November 30, 2024, and December 6, 2024, as required by sub-section (4) of section 20A of the Act, inviting objections from affected parties.

Following the receipt of objections, a Competent Authority conducted hearings and passed orders in accordance with Section D of the Railway Act. The Competent Authority then submitted its report to the Central Government, as mandated by sub-section 20E of the Act. Upon receiving this report, the Central Government exercised its powers under sub-section (1) of section 20E of the said Act to declare the acquisition of the lands detailed in the annexed schedule. The legislation provided: “Now therefore, upon receipt of the report of the Competent Authority and in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 20E of the said Act, the Central Government hereby declares that the lands specified in the schedule annexed hereto shall be acquired for the aforesaid purpose”. Furthermore, in pursuance of sub-section (2) of section 20E, the Central Government declared that upon the publication of this notification in the Official Gazette, the specified lands would vest absolutely in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances (legal claims or liabilities). The schedule appended to the notification provides a brief description of the land parcels, including survey numbers, land holding methods, and areas in hectares, to be acquired across four villages in the Bhadgaon and Pachora Talukas of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, for the railway project. The total acquisition area specified is 2.68 hectares from a total land holding of 27.49 hectares.

The primary objective of this notification is to facilitate the timely execution, maintenance, management, and operation of the Manmad-Jalgaon 4th Line Special Railway Project. This project is a critical infrastructure development aimed at enhancing railway connectivity and capacity in the region. The notification underscores the policy rationale of utilizing existing statutory frameworks, specifically the Railway Act, 1989, and its 2008 amendment, to acquire necessary land for public utility projects. The legal necessity arises from the requirement to secure clear title to land for such large-scale infrastructure development. The process outlined in the Act, involving initial declaration of intent, public notification, consideration of objections, and a report from a Competent Authority, ensures a structured and legally compliant method for land acquisition. This mechanism allows the Central Government to overcome potential impediments to project implementation by acquiring land that is essential for the expansion and modernization of the national railway network, thereby contributing to economic development and improved transportation services.

Keywords: Railway Act, Land Acquisition, Manmad-Jalgaon 4th Line, Ministry of Railways, Maharashtra, Jalgaon, Infrastructure Project, Central Government Notification, Special Railway Project

Geo Tags: India, Maharashtra
District: Jalgaon