What land is being acquired for NH 45E and where
The acquisition is for NH 45E, a national highway. The land lies in 2 districts, Dindigul and Theni, and in 2 taluks, Nilakottai and Theni.
In all, 11 survey numbers are affected across 2 villages. Of these, 10 survey numbers are in Sevugampatty and 1 survey number is in Upparpatti.
The acquisition is being carried out under the National Highways Act 1956. Because this is a central Act, the notices appear in the central gazette, not the Tamil Nadu state gazette.
The notices and their stage
There are 2 notices on record. The first is a notification under section 3A, dated 15 October 2020. The second is a declaration under section 3D, dated 5 January 2021. Each notice covers 1 village.
A section 3A notice states the intention of the Central Government to acquire the land. Once it is published, any person interested in the land may file objections under section 3C within 21 days, and the competent authority hears those objections before deciding.
A section 3D declaration is the decisive step. On its publication, the land vests absolutely in the Central Government, free from all encumbrances. After this stage the question is no longer whether the land will be taken, but how much compensation is payable and to whom.
Neither notice has been withdrawn, and neither has been corrected later. The records do not show which of the 2 villages each notice covers, so an owner should check the gazette text for his own village and survey number.
Villages affected by NH 45E land acquisition
Sevugampatty, Nilakottai taluk, Dindigul district: 10 survey numbers. None withdrawn.
Upparpatti, Theni taluk, Theni district: 1 survey number. None withdrawn.
These are the only villages in the notices. No other villages are listed for this acquisition.
What to do if your land is listed
First, get a copy of the central gazette notice that names your village. Match the survey number and subdivision against your patta, chitta and adangal. A survey number may be affected only in part, so check the extent shown in the notice.
If you own the land, collect your title papers, patta and encumbrance certificate. Under the Act, compensation is determined by the competent authority for land acquisition, usually a revenue officer appointed for the project. If you do not accept the amount, the Act allows either party to apply to an arbitrator appointed by the Central Government.
If you are buying land in either village, do not proceed on a listed survey number without checking the notices. Land covered by a section 3D declaration already vests in the Central Government, and a seller cannot pass good title to it.
For the current position on compensation and payment, contact the office of the competent authority for NH 45E or the taluk office at Nilakottai or Theni. The National Highways Authority of India project office can also confirm the status.