Land Acquisition Process Commences for National Highway Bridges in Odisha

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued Notification S.O. 3734(E) on August 13, 2025, declaring its intention to acquire land for a public purpose in the Koraput district of Odisha. This notification, published in the Official Gazette, initiates the process under the National Highways Act, 1956, to facilitate the reconstruction of three damaged bridges located on National Highway 326 (NH-326). The specific bridges identified for reconstruction are situated at Tayaput Nallah (Ch.Km 261/060), Khudipadar Nallah (Ch.268/780 Km), and Deogarh river (Ch.270/260 Km). The notification came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette on the specified date.

The notification detailed the specific parcels of land required, providing a comprehensive schedule that lists survey/plot numbers, type of land (Government or Private), nature of land (e.g., Dangara, Paddy, Patita, Pahada, Nala, Pakka Sadak, Nayanjori, Dhoda), and area in both local units (Acre) and Hectares. These lands are spread across several villages, including Dumuripadar, Uskabhata, Kelar, Podapadar, and Kudipadar, all within the Lakshmipur Taluk of Koraput District. The total land area intended for acquisition amounts to 4.7721566 Hectares. 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 reconstruction of 3 nos. of damaged bridge on NH-326... hereby declares its intention to acquire such land.”

The legislative intent behind this notification is to ensure the structural integrity and continued functionality of critical national highway infrastructure. The policy rationale underscores the government's commitment to public safety and efficient transportation networks by addressing the urgent need to reconstruct damaged bridges. The National Highways Act, 1956, provides the statutory framework for such acquisitions, empowering the Central Government to acquire land for the development and maintenance of national highways. This specific notification operationalizes these powers for a defined public purpose. To ensure due process, the notification outlines a mechanism for objections: any person interested in the land may, within twenty-one days from the date of publication, submit objections in writing to the Competent Authority, identified as the Tahasildar, Laxmipur. The Competent Authority is mandated to provide an opportunity for the objector to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner, and may conduct further inquiry before issuing a final order to either allow or disallow the objections. This process ensures transparency and provides affected individuals with a legal avenue to present their concerns before the acquisition proceeds. Interested persons can inspect land plans and other relevant details at the office of the Competent Authority.

Keywords: Land acquisition, National Highways Act, NH-326, bridge reconstruction, Odisha, Koraput, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, public purpose, land notification
Geo Tags: India, Odisha
District: Koraput