What land is being acquired and where
The land is being taken to widen the Melur to Tirupathur Road, a state highway numbered SH-191. Because this is a state road, the acquisition is being done under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001, and the notices appear in the state Gazette.
The notices cover 15 survey numbers in total. The land lies in two districts, Madurai and Sivagangai, and in four taluks: Melur, Pattakurichi, Singampunari and Thiruppattur.
The notices list survey numbers, not whole villages. Land in a listed village that is outside the notified survey numbers is not covered by these notices. You should still check the subdivision details in the Gazette, because only part of a survey number may be notified.
The notices and their stage
Four notifications have been issued, all under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. They are dated 23 July 2020 (one village), 28 October 2020 (one village), 9 September 2021 (two villages) and 27 February 2024 (one village).
Under this Act, the Government acquires land for a highway by publishing a notice under section 15(1) in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette. Once that notice is published, the land generally vests in the Government free from encumbrances. A section 15(1) notice is therefore not a mere proposal. It is the step that takes the land.
None of the four notices has been withdrawn, and none has been recorded as corrected later. On the records available, all four remain in force.
These records do not show whether compensation has been paid, whether possession has been taken, or whether construction is complete. Confirm those points with the land acquisition office for your taluk.
Villages covered by the notices
Madavarayanpatti in Thiruppattur taluk, Sivagangai district: 6 survey numbers.
Pattakurichi in Pattakurichi taluk, Sivagangai district: 5 survey numbers.
A. Malayur in Singampunari taluk, Sivagangai district: 2 survey numbers.
Keelavalavu in Melur taluk, Madurai district: 1 survey number.
Pattakurichi in Thiruppattur taluk, Sivagangai district: 1 survey number.
Pattakurichi appears twice because the records place it under two different taluks. If you own land in Pattakurichi, check which taluk your patta shows before you compare survey numbers.
No survey numbers have been withdrawn in any of these villages.
What to do if your land is listed
Get a copy of the Gazette notification for your village. Compare the survey number and subdivision in the notice with your patta, chitta and adangal. Note the extent shown in the notice.
Compensation under the Highways Act is determined by the authority appointed under the Act, after inquiry into the claims of persons interested. Owners are normally called upon to state their claims and produce documents of title. Keep your sale deeds, patta, Encumbrance Certificate and legal heirship papers ready.
Confirm the present position, including the award and payment, at the office of the Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition) or the Revenue Divisional Office for your taluk, and with the Highways Department.
If you are buying land in or near these villages, check every survey number against the notices before you sign. Land covered by a section 15(1) notice cannot be safely bought, and the seller may not hold good title to the notified portion. Ask for the field measurement sketch and have the boundaries checked on the ground.