What land is being acquired and where
The State is acquiring land along the Melur to Thirupathur Road, State Highway 191, for widening the road. This is a state road project, so the acquisition is carried out under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001 and not under the National Highways Act.
All the land covered falls in Melur taluk of Madurai district. In all, 98 survey numbers are listed across 2 villages.
The notices identify land by village and survey number. In many cases only a part of a survey number, typically a strip along the existing road, is required. The extent taken from each survey number is stated in the gazette schedule, and you should read that schedule rather than assume the whole survey number is affected.
The notices and their stage
Two notifications have been published in the Tamil Nadu state gazette under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. The first is dated 21 March 2020 and the second is dated 24 December 2020. Each covers one village.
Neither notice has been withdrawn, and neither is recorded as having been corrected later. On the records available here, both notifications remain in force.
Under the Act, the Government publishes a notice under section 15(1) declaring its intention to acquire specified land required for a highway purpose. Once acquisition is completed under the Act, the land vests in the Government. Compensation is then determined by the competent authority under the provisions of the Act, and owners and other interested persons may put forward their claims.
The records summarised here do not show whether compensation has been determined, paid, or whether possession has been taken. For the current position on any particular survey number, you must check with the land acquisition office at the Madurai Collectorate or the Highways Department.
Villages covered
Navinippatti, Melur taluk, Madurai district: 80 survey numbers listed, none withdrawn.
E.Malampatti, Melur taluk, Madurai district: 18 survey numbers listed, none withdrawn.
These are the only two villages covered by the notices for this project. Navinippatti accounts for most of the affected survey numbers.
What to do if your land is listed
First, obtain copies of both gazette notifications and check whether your survey number and subdivision appear in the schedule. Note the extent shown against your survey number.
Next, compare that extent with your patta, the chitta and the FMB sketch for your survey number. This tells you whether the whole parcel or only a strip is affected, and what remains with you.
If your land is listed, keep your title documents, patta, encumbrance certificate and tax receipts ready. These will be needed to establish your claim when compensation is determined. Contact the land acquisition office at the Madurai Collectorate to learn the stage reached for your survey number and how to lodge your claim.
If you are buying land in Navinippatti or E.Malampatti, especially land fronting SH-191, check these notifications before you pay any advance. Land covered by a highway acquisition notice cannot be bought free of that acquisition, and the extent remaining after the road is widened may be smaller than the deed shows.