Railways Ministry Initiates Land Acquisition for Talcher-Bimalagarh New B.G. Rail Link Project in Odisha

The Ministry of Railways, through its East Coast Railway division, issued a notification on January 10, 2025, declaring its intention to acquire land for the Talcher-Bimalagarh New B.G. Rail Link Project in Odisha. This notification, bearing S.O. 685, was published in the Official Gazette on February 10, 2025, and came into force upon its publication. The instrument, a formal notification, was issued under the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 20A of the Railways  Act, 1989, which is hereinafter referred to as the said Act. The Central Government, having been satisfied that the land is required for a public purpose, specifically for the execution of this Special Railway Project under the Khurda Road Division of East Coast Railway, proceeded with this declaration. The land parcels, detailed in an annexed schedule, are located in the Angul district of Odisha, encompassing villages such as Badasada, Purunapani, Hatibindha, and Barkotia, and total approximately 5.200 acres.

The notification outlines the procedure for affected persons to raise objections to the proposed acquisition. Any individual with an interest in the specified land is granted a period of thirty days from the date of the notification's publication in the Official Gazette to submit objections. These objections must be made in writing to the designated competent authority, identified as the Special Land Acquisition Officer for the Talcher-Bimalagarh New B.G. Rail Link, located in Talcher, Angul District, Odisha. The written objection must clearly state the grounds for opposition. The competent authority is mandated to provide the objector an opportunity to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner. Following the hearing of all objections and any further inquiry deemed necessary, the competent authority will issue an order either allowing or disallowing the objections. The legislation provided: “…the Central Government, after being satisfied that for the public purpose, the Land, brief description of which is given in the schedule annexed here to, is required for the execution of the Special Railway Project, namely, Talcher-Bimalagarh New B.G. Rail Link Project under Khurda Road Division of East Coast Railway in the State of Odisha, hereby declares its intention to acquire such land.”

The primary objective of this notification is to facilitate the timely and lawful acquisition of land essential for the development of critical railway infrastructure. By invoking the provisions of the Railways Act, 1989, the Central Government aims to streamline the process for acquiring land for public utility projects, ensuring that development initiatives, such as the Talcher-Bimalagarh New B.G. Rail Link, can proceed efficiently. The Act provides a statutory framework for land acquisition specifically for railway purposes, distinct from general land acquisition laws, and this notification utilizes that framework. The policy rationale behind such declarations is to balance the need for public infrastructure development with the rights of landowners. The notification ensures transparency by making land plans and other details available for inspection at the office of the Competent Authority, allowing interested parties to review the specifics of the proposed acquisition. The decision rendered by the competent authority under sub-section (2) of Section 20D of the said Act is stipulated to be final, providing a definitive resolution mechanism for objections raised during the acquisition process. This structured approach aims to prevent undue delays in projects of national importance while safeguarding procedural fairness for those whose land is identified for acquisition.

Keywords: Railways Act, land acquisition, Talcher-Bimalagarh, Odisha, East Coast Railway, infrastructure, public purpose, notification, Angul
Geo Tags: India, Odisha
District: Angul