What land is being acquired for the Tiruvallur Town Bypass, and where
The Tiruvallur Town Bypass is a state road project. The land for it is being acquired under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001, and the notices have been published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette.
All the affected land lies in Tiruvallur taluk of Tiruvallur district. The notices cover 330 survey numbers spread over 3 villages.
Because this is a state road, the National Highways Act, 1956 does not apply. There is no section 3A notice or section 3D declaration for this project, and the 21 day objection period under section 3C of that Act is not relevant here.
The acquisition notices and their stage
Three notifications have been issued under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001. They are dated 24 February 2023, 13 March 2023 and 20 May 2024. Each notification covers one village.
The notifications dated 24 February 2023 and 13 March 2023 were later corrected. If your land falls under either of these, read the original notice together with the correction, because the correction may change survey numbers, subdivisions or extents. The notification dated 20 May 2024 has not been corrected.
None of the three notifications has been withdrawn, either fully or in part, on the records available.
Under the Tamil Nadu Highways Act, 2001, acquisition is generally done by a Gazette notice under section 15(1) declaring that the land is required for a highway. Once such a notice is published, the land generally vests in the Government free from encumbrances. Compensation is then determined separately under the Act. Physical possession and payment of compensation are later stages, and the Gazette notices alone do not show whether those stages are complete for any particular survey number.
Villages and survey number counts
Selai, Tiruvallur taluk: 167 survey numbers. No survey number has been withdrawn.
Melnallathur, Tiruvallur taluk: 96 survey numbers. No survey number has been withdrawn.
Thirupachur, Tiruvallur taluk: 67 survey numbers. No survey number has been withdrawn.
These three villages are the complete list for this project on the records available. There are no further villages beyond those named here.
What to do if your land is listed
First, check the exact survey number and subdivision in the Gazette notice for your village, and in the correction if your village falls under one of the two corrected notifications. A survey number appearing in the notice does not always mean the whole field is affected. The notice usually states the extent being taken from each subdivision.
Second, compare the notice with your patta, chitta and the FMB sketch for the survey number. If the extent or subdivision in the notice does not match your records, raise it in writing with the land acquisition officer for the project and with the Tahsildar, Tiruvallur.
Third, on compensation, ask the land acquisition office for the status of the award for your survey number and the basis on which the amount is being worked out. Keep copies of your title documents, patta, encumbrance certificate and tax receipts ready, since these are usually required to claim payment.
If you are buying land in Selai, Melnallathur or Thirupachur, check every survey number in the sale against these notices before you pay an advance. Land that has vested in the Government under a highway notice cannot be validly sold by the earlier owner, and an encumbrance certificate may not show the acquisition.