What land is being acquired and where
The acquisition is for widening the Thanjavur to Mannargudi Road, a State Highway numbered SH-63. It is a state road project, so it proceeds under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001 and not under the National Highways Act, 1956.
The notices cover 132 survey numbers. The land lies in two districts, Thanjavur and Thiruvarur, and in four taluks: Thanjavur, Orathanad, Needamangalam and Mannargudi.
The notices list survey numbers, which may be whole fields or only strips along the existing road. Whether your entire survey number or only a part of it is affected must be read from the schedule in the notice itself.
The notices and their stage
Six notifications have been published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette. The first is dated 2 July 2020. Others followed on 20 July 2020, 23 July 2020, 3 August 2020 and 26 August 2020. The latest is dated 2 February 2021.
The first five notifications each cover one village. The notification of 2 February 2021 covers two villages. None has been withdrawn, and none is recorded as corrected later.
Under section 15(1) of the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001, the Government may, by notice in the Gazette, acquire land it needs for a highway. Publication of the notice is the formal step that brings the listed land within the acquisition. The Act then provides for determining the compensation payable to the persons interested in the land.
On compensation, Tamil Nadu amended the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 so that compensation under its state acquisition laws, including the Highways Act, is to be determined in line with the First Schedule of the 2013 Act. The actual amount for any parcel depends on an award or order made for that land. The facts available here do not show whether awards have been passed or payments made, so confirm the present stage with the Land Acquisition Officer or the Highways Department office handling the project.
Villages covered
Thiruvarur district, Needamangalam taluk: Vadvur Agragaran (65 survey numbers) and Vaduvur Agraharam (2 survey numbers). These two names are very similar and may be different spellings of the same place in the records. If your land is in this area, check the schedules under both spellings.
Thiruvarur district, Mannargudi taluk: Karakottai (6 survey numbers).
Thanjavur district, Thanjavur taluk: Kattur (18 survey numbers) and Soorakkottai (8 survey numbers).
Thanjavur district, Orathanad taluk: Neivasal (17 survey numbers) and Vandaiyar Irruppu (16 survey numbers).
No survey number in any of these villages has been withdrawn from the acquisition.
What to do if your land is listed
Obtain a copy of the Gazette notification for your village and read the schedule. Compare the survey number, subdivision and extent with your patta, chitta and FMB sketch.
Visit the Taluk office or the Land Acquisition Officer for the project. Ask whether your parcel is affected in full or in part, whether an award has been passed, and how to file your claim with documents of title.
Keep your title papers, encumbrance certificate, patta and tax receipts ready. Where the land has passed by inheritance or is held jointly, compensation is usually paid only after the claims of all persons interested are settled, so put those papers in order early.
If you are buying land in these villages, check the survey number against the notifications before you pay any advance. Land covered by an acquisition notice that has not been withdrawn should not be treated as freely saleable. Ask your advocate to confirm the position in writing.