Railways Ministry Notifies Intent to Acquire Land for Nagda-Kota Project in Jhalawar

The Ministry of Railways (West Central Railway) issued a Notification, S.O. 768(E), on February 13, 2025, declaring its intention to acquire land for a Special Railway Project. This notification, published in the Gazette of India, came into force upon its publication. The land, located in Jhalawar District, Rajasthan, is required for the construction of a Road Over Bridge on LC No. 60 as part of the Nagda - Kota section railway project. The Central Government, exercising powers under sub-section (1) of section 20A of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989), expressed its satisfaction that the acquisition serves a public purpose. The notification detailed the specific parcels of land, including both private agricultural land and various types of government land such as Gram Panchayat land and Charagah (grazing land), across villages like Khandar in Pachpahar Taluka. Interested persons were granted a period of thirty days from the notification's publication date to raise objections to the proposed acquisition and use of the land. Such objections must be submitted in writing to the competent authority, identified as the Sub Divisional Officer, Bhawani Mandi, Sub Division Bhawani Mandi, District Jhalawar. The competent authority is mandated to provide the objector an opportunity to be heard, either in person or through a legal practitioner, and may, after due inquiry, allow or disallow the objections. Any order issued by the competent authority under sub-section (II) of section 20D of the Railways Act, 1989, is deemed final. Further details, including land plans, are available for inspection at the competent authority's office.

This Notification operationalizes provisions of the Railways Act, 1989, to facilitate critical railway infrastructure development. The legislative intent behind such notifications is to enable the timely execution of public utility projects by providing a structured legal framework for land acquisition. The Railways Act, 1989, already established the statutory framework for railway construction and expansion, including powers for land acquisition. This specific notification addresses the practical requirement for land for the Nagda - Kota section, particularly for a Road Over Bridge, thereby filling the gap between the general statutory power and its project-specific application. It introduces an obligation on the Central Government to follow due process for acquisition and concurrently establishes a crucial right for affected individuals to object to the acquisition within a specified timeframe. The process ensures transparency and natural justice by mandating a hearing before the competent authority. The legislation provided: “In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section(I) of section 20A of the Railways Act, 1989 (24 of 1989) (hereinafter referred in as the said act), the Central Government after being satisfied that for the public purpose, the land, the brief description of which has given in the schedule annexed hereto, is required for execution of the Special Railway Project, namely, Nagda - Kota section in Jhalawar District Construction of Road Over Bridge on LC No. 60 Project in District Jhalawar in the State of Rajasthan, hereby declares its intention to acquire such land”. This declaration underscores the public purpose driving the acquisition and the legal basis for initiating the process. The enforcement mechanism is clearly defined through the 30-day objection period and the finality of the competent authority's decision, ensuring a streamlined yet fair process for land acquisition for railway projects.

Keywords: Railways Act, Land Acquisition, Nagda-Kota Project, Road Over Bridge, Jhalawar District, Public Purpose, Ministry of Railways, Notification, Rajasthan
Geo Tags: India, Rajasthan
District: Jhalawar