Delay in ORR land acquisition: Kerala HC tells central govt secretary to appear online

Kochi: Kerala high court has directed the secretary of Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) to appear before it through video conferencing on Monday for non-compliance with its earlier directive to file an affidavit regarding the finalisation of land acquisition proceedings for the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam Outer Ring Road (ORR) project in Thiruvananthapuram.Justice C Jayachandran issued the direction while considering a petition by Ajith G of Pezhoorkonam and four other landowners under the banner of the Vizhinjam ORR Land Owners’ Welfare Movement, seeking immediate disbursal of compensation and rehabilitation assistance consequent to the acquisition of their land for the project. According to the petitioners, although a notification under Section 3D of the National Highways Act, 1956, was issued in 2023, no compensation has been paid so far.During a hearing in March, the central govt submitted that the determination of compensation under Section 3G of the Act had not been completed and that the project had not yet received approval from MoRTH. Taking note of the submission, HC directed the secretary of MoRTH to file an affidavit within two months specifying the time required to complete the proceedings and clarifying whether the project had been approved by the ministry.

HC issued the direction after noting that the petitioners had effectively been deprived of their land, which had already vested absolutely in the central govt free from all encumbrances.However, despite the lapse of more than three months, the affidavit has not been filed, prompting HC to direct the secretary’s appearance before it through video conferencing.