What land is being acquired and where
The Kanniyakumari to Thiruvananthapuram Railway Line Doubling is a rail project. The land acquisition notices recorded for it relate to Kanniyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.
The notices cover 20 villages and 1496 survey numbers. The villages fall in Agasteeswaram, Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks.
A survey number appearing in a notice does not always mean the whole survey number is taken. Notices often list subdivisions and part extents, so the exact extent must be read from the notice itself.
The notices, the law used and the present stage
Our records show 17 notices for this project, all published in the Tamil Nadu state gazette. The first is dated 19 October 2022 and the latest is dated 3 March 2025.
All the notices except one were issued under the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Industrial Purposes Act, 1997. A notice under section 3(1) of that Act states the Government's intention to acquire the listed land and gives owners and interested persons an opportunity to show cause against the acquisition. After considering the objections, the Government may publish a further declaration, and on that publication the land vests in the Government.
One notice, dated 10 December 2024, was issued under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. A preliminary notice under that Act likewise announces that the listed land is proposed to be acquired and invites objections before any final declaration.
All the notices in our records are notifications. None has been fully withdrawn. The first notice of 19 October 2022 and the latest notice of 3 March 2025 were each corrected later, so anyone relying on those notices should read the corrigendum along with the original.
We do not hold information on later stages such as award, payment or taking of possession. For the current status of any survey number, confirm with the land acquisition office of the Kanniyakumari District Collectorate.
Villages list with survey number counts
Vilavancode taluk: Nalloor (250 survey numbers), Kaliyakkavillai (172), Unnamalaikadai (118), Pacode A (114) and Maruthancode (18).
Kalkulam taluk: Neyyoor (123), Marthurkurichi (121), Thickanamcode (68), Thiruvithancode (58) and Aathivialai (37).
Agasteeswaram taluk: Kottaram East (94), Kovalam (70), Suseendrum (53), Thamaraikulam North (42), Kottaram West (38), Parakkai (38), Kaniyakulam (32), Agasteeswaram (25), Putheri (22) and South Thamaraikulam (3).
No survey number in any of these villages is shown as withdrawn in our records.
What to do if your land is listed
Owners should first obtain a copy of the gazette notice for their village and check the survey number, subdivision and extent against their patta, chitta and FMB sketch. Where a notice was later corrected, read the correction as well.
If you wish to object, do so in writing to the authority named in the notice, within the time stated in it, and keep proof of submission. Attend any hearing you are called for.
Keep your title papers ready: sale deeds, patta, encumbrance certificate and any legal heir or partition documents. Compensation is paid to the persons shown to be entitled, so unresolved title or pending mutation can delay payment.
Buyers should treat any listed survey number with caution. Check the notices before paying an advance, and get written confirmation from the land acquisition office on whether the specific subdivision is affected.