Ministry of Railways Issues Corrigendum for Land Acquisition Notification

The Ministry of Railways, North Western Railway (Construction Organization), issued a Corrigendum Notification, S.O. 988(E), on February 25, 2025, which was subsequently published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, on Thursday, February 27, 2025. This instrument serves to amend and rectify specific details within a previous land acquisition notification, S.O. 5243(E), which had been issued by the Ministry of Railways (North Western Railway, Construction department) on December 5, 2024. The Central Government exercised its powers under sub-section (1) of section 20A of the Railways (Amendment) Act, 2008 (11 of 2008), and the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), to effect these necessary corrections. The corrigendum came into force upon its publication in the Official Gazette.

The primary purpose of this corrigendum is to ensure the accuracy of land acquisition details for ongoing railway projects. It addresses discrepancies found in the original notification, which are critical for the proper identification of land parcels and the subsequent acquisition process. Specifically, the amendment introduces a new Khasra number (a unique land survey identification number) and revises the area details for several existing Khasra numbers. At serial number 3 of the Schedule, Khasra No. 51, with an area of 9.2066 hectares and an acquired area of 0.00575 hectares, was added for Aslu village in the Churu subdivision. Furthermore, the notification substituted the correct acquired land areas for multiple entries. For serial number 7, pertaining to Khasra No. 795 in Churu village, Churu subdivision, the correct acquired area was specified as 2.202825 hectares. Similarly, for serial number 8, concerning Khasra No. 975/85 in Dadhar, the corrected acquired area was set at 0.0631375 hectares. For serial number 9, involving Khasra No. 203 and Khasra No. 724/147 in Sirsla, the corrected acquired areas were updated to 0.337475 hectares and 0.335925 hectares, respectively. These adjustments directly impact landowners in the specified villages and tehsils whose properties are subject to acquisition for railway infrastructure development.

The legislative intent behind issuing such a corrigendum is to uphold the principles of accuracy and transparency in governmental notifications, particularly those concerning land acquisition, which have significant implications for citizens. The earlier legal position, as established by the original notification, contained certain inaccuracies that necessitated this corrective action. By addressing these statutory gaps and issues, the Central Government aims to prevent potential disputes, ensure fair compensation, and facilitate the smooth execution of railway projects. The legislation provided: “In Notification No. SO 5243(E) Jaipur dated 5th December 2024, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary , Part-II- Section 3- Sub section following details will be addressed and substituted :” This action underscores the commitment to maintaining precise records for land parcels designated for public purposes, thereby reinforcing the legal framework governing land acquisition under the Railways Act, 1989, and its subsequent amendments. The corrigendum does not introduce new rights or obligations but rather clarifies existing ones by rectifying factual errors in the previously published details, ensuring that the enforcement mechanisms for land acquisition proceed on accurate information.

Keywords: Railway land acquisition, Corrigendum, Ministry of Railways, North Western Railway, land acquisition notification, Khasra number, Railways Act 1989, Railways Amendment Act 2008, Jaipur, Churu
Geo Tags: Country: India, Rajasthan
District: Churu