Ministry of Railways Designates Competent Authorities for New Special Railway Projects Across Three States

The Ministry of Railways, acting through the South Eastern Railway’s Construction Organization, issued a formal notification on January 17, 2025, to establish the administrative framework for three major rail infrastructure developments. This statutory instrument, identified as S.O. 321(E), was promulgated under the powers vested in the Central Government by the Railways Act, 1989. The notification specifically authorized various district-level officers to perform the functions of the competent authority the official designated to oversee land acquisition and statutory proceedings for the execution, maintenance, management, and operation of special railway projects. These projects involve the construction of new railway lines spanning the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. The notification became legally effective immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The scope of the notification covered three distinct railway initiatives. The first is the Buramara-Chakulia new line, which extends over 59.96 kilometers and traverses the Mayurbhanj district in Odisha, East Singhbhum in Jharkhand, and Jhargram in West Bengal. To manage this multi-state project, the government appointed the Land Acquisition Officer of Mayurbhanj and the District Land Acquisition Officer of East Singhbhum as the relevant authorities. The second project involves an 85.60-kilometer line connecting Bangriposi and Gorumahisani within the state of Odisha, where the Land Acquisition Officer of Mayurbhanj was similarly empowered. The third project is the 82.06-kilometer Badampahar-Kendujhargarh new line in Odisha, for which the Land Acquisition Officer of Mayurbhanj and the Special Land Acquisition Officer for the Daitari-Banspani Rail Link in Keonjhar were designated to exercise statutory powers.

The legislative intent behind this notification was to streamline the legal and administrative processes required for large-scale infrastructure expansion. By invoking Section 2(7A) of the Railways Act, 1989, the Central Government addressed the statutory necessity of defining clear jurisdictions for officers tasked with project oversight. This move was designed to resolve potential administrative ambiguities that often arise in projects crossing state or district boundaries. The legislation provided: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (7A) of section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), the Central Government hereby authorizes the officers mentioned in column (5) of the Table below to perform the functions of the competent authority in respect of the special railway projects as mentioned in column (2) of the Table, for execution, maintenance, management and operation in the State mentioned in Column (3) of the said Table, with effect from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette.”

The policy rationale for these appointments centered on the efficient management of land acquisition and the subsequent maintenance of the rail lines. Under the existing statutory framework, the designation of a competent authority (a person or agency authorized by the government to perform specific legal duties under the Act) is a mandatory step before the government can exercise its powers of eminent domain the legal right of the state to acquire private property for public use. By appointing localized officers such as the Land Acquisition Officers of Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar, the Ministry aimed to ensure that the enforcement mechanisms for these special railway projects are handled by officials familiar with the local territorial jurisdictions. This administrative arrangement is expected to facilitate the timely completion of the new lines, thereby enhancing regional connectivity and supporting the broader operational goals of the South Eastern Railway.

Keywords: Railways Act 1989, South Eastern Railway, Land Acquisition, Special Railway Projects, Ministry of Railways, Odisha Railway, Jharkhand Railway, West Bengal Railway, Competent Authority

Geo Tags: India, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal
District: Mayurbhanj, East Singhbhum, Jhargram, Keonjhar