Ministry of Railways Designates Competent Authorities for Special Railway Project Land Acquisition

The Ministry of Railways, through its South Central Railway division, issued Notification S.O. 1773(E) on April 15, 2025, which was subsequently published in the Official Gazette on April 17, 2025. This notification, a form of delegated legislation, formally authorizes specific officers to act as Competent Authorities for Land Acquisition concerning designated Special Railway Projects. The issuance of this notification stems from the necessity to facilitate the timely acquisition of land required for critical railway infrastructure development.

The notification specifies that the Central Government, exercising powers conferred by clause (7A) of Section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989, has empowered the officer listed in column (5) of the accompanying Table to undertake the functions of a Competent Authority for Land Acquisition. This authorization applies to the Special Railway Projects detailed in column (2) of the Table, covering their execution, maintenance, management, and operation within the states mentioned in column (3). Specifically, for projects located in Andhra Pradesh, particularly within the Prakasam district, the Revenue Divisional Officer, Ongole, has been designated as the Competent Authority. The projects include the construction of new Road Over Bridges (ROBs) at various locations, such as in lieu of Level Crossing No. 213 between Ongole and Karavadi Stations, Level Crossing No. 199 between Surareddipalem and Ongole stations, Level Crossing No. 193 between Tanguturu and Suraredypalem stations, and Level Crossing No. 187 between Singarayakonda and Tanguturu stations. The notification came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The legislative intent behind this notification is to streamline and expedite the process of land acquisition for crucial railway development initiatives. The policy rationale underscores the government's commitment to enhancing railway safety and operational efficiency by replacing existing level crossings (where a road and railway line intersect at the same level) with Road Over Bridges (structures that carry a road over a railway line), thereby mitigating the risks associated with at-grade crossings and improving traffic flow. The earlier statutory framework, primarily the Railways Act, 1989, provides the overarching legal basis for such acquisitions. However, the practical implementation necessitates the designation of specific authorities to exercise these powers at the local level. This notification addresses this operational gap by clearly identifying the officers responsible for executing land acquisition functions for these special projects.

The legislation provided: “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (7A) of Section 2 of the Railways Act, 1989 the Central Government hereby authorizes the officer mentioned in the column (5) of the Table below to perform the functions of the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition in respect of the Special Railway Project 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.” This designation ensures that the necessary legal authority is vested in the appropriate administrative officer, enabling the swift and lawful acquisition of land. The construction of Road Over Bridges in place of Level Crossings is a key strategy to reduce accidents and improve the overall railway network. This measure does not introduce new rights or obligations but rather operationalizes existing statutory provisions by assigning specific enforcement mechanisms through designated authorities, ensuring that vital infrastructure projects can proceed without undue delay.

Keywords: Railways Act 1989, Land Acquisition, Road Over Bridge, Ministry of Railways, Notification, Andhra Pradesh, Prakasam, Railway Project, Competent Authority, Infrastructure Development, Level Crossing
Geo Tags: India, Andhra Pradesh
District: Prakasam