What land is being acquired and where
The land is being acquired for the construction of high level bridges on state roads. The acquisition is spread over four districts: Cuddalore, Thoothukkudi, Tiruvannamalai and Viluppuram.
In all, 93 survey numbers in 12 villages are covered. These villages fall in 9 taluks: Arani, Cuddalore, Kandacheepuram, Ottapidaram, Panruti, Thiruvennainallur, Vandavasi, Vembakkam and Villupuram.
Viluppuram district has the largest share, with 6 villages. Tiruvannamalai has 3 villages, Cuddalore has 2 and Thoothukkudi has 1.
The notices identify land by survey number. They do not necessarily take the whole of a survey number. Often only a part, shown as a subdivision or an extent, is required for the bridge and its approaches. Read the schedule of the notice for the exact extent.
The notices, the law and the present stage
All 9 notices were issued under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001 and published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette. This is a state law. It is not the National Highways Act, and it is not the general Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
Under the Highways Act, the Government acquires land needed for a highway by publishing a notice under section 15(1) in the Gazette, stating the purpose. Under section 15(2), once that notice is published, the land vests in the Government free from encumbrances. In practical terms, publication of the notice is itself the acquisition step. There is no separate preliminary stage followed by a later declaration, as there is under the 2013 Act.
The first notice was published on 3 November 2022. Further notices followed on 9 June 2023, 7 May 2025, 22 July 2025, 29 August 2025, 11 November 2025, 19 November 2025, 28 September 2026 and 23 October 2026. The notice of 29 August 2025 covers 3 villages and the notice of 11 November 2025 covers 2. Each of the others covers 1 village.
None of the 9 notices has been withdrawn, either fully or for any village, and none has been corrected later. On the published record, therefore, all 93 survey numbers remain under acquisition.
These facts do not cover whether compensation has been paid, whether possession has been taken, or whether construction has begun. Confirm these with the Land Acquisition Officer for the area or the Highways Department division concerned.
Villages list with survey number counts
Viluppuram district: Marankiyur in Thiruvennainallur taluk (19 survey numbers), Enathimangalam in Thiruvennainallur taluk (17), Sirumadurai in Thiruvennainallur taluk (4), Sernthanur in Villupuram taluk (5), Pillur in Villupuram taluk (2) and Arulavadi in Kandacheepuram taluk (1).
Cuddalore district: Naduveerapattu in Cuddalore taluk (17 survey numbers) and Sanniyasipettai in Panruti taluk (7).
Tiruvannamalai district: Irumbedu in Arani taluk (6 survey numbers), Pernamallur in Vandavasi taluk (4) and Vadailuppai in Vembakkam taluk (1).
Thoothukkudi district: Adanur in Ottapidaram taluk (10 survey numbers).
This is the complete village list for the project. There are no other villages under these notices.
What to do if your land is listed
First, check whether your survey number and subdivision appear in the schedule of the notice for your village. A matching survey number alone does not confirm that your plot is affected. Compare the subdivision and extent with your patta, chitta and FMB sketch.
If your land is listed, collect your title documents, patta, encumbrance certificate and tax receipts. Then contact the Land Acquisition Officer named in the notice, or the taluk office, to register your claim as an interested person. Compensation is paid to the persons whose interest is shown on record, so the revenue records should be in your name and up to date.
If you are buying land in any of these villages, ask the seller for the survey number and subdivision and check them against every notice for that village before you pay an advance. Land that has vested in the Government under section 15(2) cannot be validly sold by the former owner. A registered sale deed does not cure this.
Keep copies of every notice, letter and award you receive, and note the dates. If you disagree with the amount awarded, the Act provides a remedy, and the time limits run from the award. Take legal advice early.