Shanmugadevi.P v. The District Collector

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 21.11.2023 CORAM: THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N. ANAND VENKATESH P.Shanmugadevi .. Petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.22117/2021 M.Shantha .. Petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.22118/2021 M.Veilumuthu .. Petitioner in W.P.(MD) No.22119/2021 Vs.

1.The District Collector, Tuticorin District.

2.The District Revenue Officer, Tuticorin District.

3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin District.

4.The Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition), NH 38 – Tuticorin District, Tuticorin.

5.The Deputy General Manager (Tech) cum Project Director, Project Implementation Unit, National Highways, No.2/273, 1st Floor, PSP Nagar, 2nd Street, Korampallam, Tuticorin-628 101. .. Respondents in all W.Ps. Prayer in all W.Ps.: Petitions filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue Writ of Mandamus, directing respondents to consider and dispose the petitioners' representations dated 18.07.2019 relating with compensation to the land in Survey Number 709/1 which has been taken by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) without following the procedure contemplated in "The National Highways Act, 1956" for extension of Land of NHAI in Four Lane of Madurai to Tuticorin of NH - 38, as the earliest possible as the date may be fixed by this Court. For Petitioner : Mr.K.Vijayanand (In all Cases) For RR1 to 4 : Ms.D.Farjana Ghoushia (In all Cases) Special Government Pleader For R5 : Mr.Su.Srinivasan (In all Cases) Central Government Counsel COMMON ORDER These Writ Petitions have been filed for issuance of a writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to consider the representations made by the petitioners, wherein, the petitioners are seeking for payment of compensation for utilizing their patta lands to lay the road by the National Highways Authority of India [NHAI].

¶2When these Writ Petitions are taken up for hearing, the learned Special Government Pleader appearing for the respondents 1 to 4 produced the written instructions received from the Tahsildar, Ettayapuram. For proper appreciation, the relevant portions are extracted hereunder:- "vl;laGuk; tl;lk;> Gy vz;:709/1 MdJ 9 cl;gpupTfshf gpupf;fg;gl;L> ghu;it-(1)>(2) kw;Wk; (3) Mfpatw;wpy; fz;Ls;s tof;Ffs; njhlu;ghd Gy vz; G+kpapy; Gy vz;: 709/1A1A1A-y; ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb 709/18A1A nkhj;j gug;G 3.58.64 n`f;Nlupy; jpU.rpd;df;fdp ehlhu; kfd; M.Nfh.rp jq;fg;ghz;bad; kw;Wk; 80 egu;fs; ngau;fspy; $l;lhfTk;> Gy vz;. 709/7 ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb 709/7A1 nkhj;j gug;G - 0.65.05 n`f;Nlupy; jpU.uh[n[ftPuuhk ntq;fNl];tu vl;lg;g ehaf;fu; kfd; uhk;Fkhu; ghz;bad; kw;Wk; 17 egu;fs; ngau;fspYk; $l;lhf jhf;fyhfpAs;sJ. ,jpy; fpiua Mtz vz;:2295/2008> ehs;:

22.08.2008 -d;gb 492.79 rkP epykhdJ jpU.ntapYKj;J vd;gtUf;Fk;> fpiua Mtz vz;. 1490/2010> ehs;: 17.06.2010-d;gb

284.68 r.kP epykhdJ jpUkjp.rhe;jh> f/ng.KUNf\; vd;gtUf;Fk;> fpiua Mtz vz;-782/1998-d;gb jpUkjp.rz;KfNjtp vd;gtUf;Fk; ghj;jpag;gl;ljhFk;. Nkw;gb fpiuaq;fspd; Mtzj;jpy; Gy vz;.709/1 vd gjpT nra;ag;gl;Ls;sJ. NkYk;> fpiua Mtzj;jpd;gb jpU.ntapYKj;J fpiuak; ngw;Ws;s gug;G Gy vz;: 709/1A1A1A-y; ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb 709/18A1A kw;Wk; 709/7 ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb 709/7A1 Mfpa Gyq;fspy; cs;sd. jpUkjp.rhe;jh kw;Wk; jpUkjp.rz;KfNjtp MfpNahu; fpiuak; ngw;Ws;s gug;G Gy vz;:709/1A1A1A-y; ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb 709/18A1A cs;sJ. kDjhuu;fs; tof;F njhlu;ghf ];jy Ma;T nra;J epy msit gzp nra;ag;gl;likapy; Njrpa neLQ;rhiyapy; mikf;Fk; gzpf;F Gy vz;. 709/1A1A1A-y; ,Ue;J jw;rkak; cl;gpupT nra;ag;gl;lgb

709/18A1A--y;

epy

vLg;G

vJTk; Nkw;f;nfhs;sg;gltpy;iy. G+kpapy; Nfhtpy;gl;b Kjy; J}j;Jf;Fb nry;Yk; khepy neLQ;rhiy 2162 r.kP (53) nrd;l; gl;lh epyj;jpy; mikag;ngw;Ws;sJ. Nkw;gb khepy neLQ;rhiyapd; rhu;gpy; epy vLg;G gzpNah my;yJ epyj;jpw;fhd ,og;gPl;Lj; njhifNah vJTk; toq;fg;gltpy;iy vd Mtzq;fisg; guprPyid nra;jjpy; njupa tUfpwJ vd;w tpguj;ijg; gzpTld; njuptpj;Jf; nfhs;fpNwd;."

¶3It is clear from the above that the State Highways Authority has not laid any road in the patta lands belonging to the petitioners. However, the National Highways Authority of India has utilized the patta lands and has laid the road. Therefore, the petitioners will be entitled for the compensation. Hence, there shall be a direction to the petitioners to make a claim for compensation before the fourth respondent and the fourth respondent, on receipt of the same, shall conduct an enquiry under Section 3G(3) of the National Highways Act and fix the compensation payable to the petitioners. This process shall be completed by the fourth respondent within a period of three months from the date of receipt of a copy of the representation from the petitioners.

¶4These Writ Petitions are disposed of with the above directions. There shall be no order as to costs.

21.11.2023 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes/No Internet : Yes ssb

N. ANAND VENKATESH, J. ssb To

1.The District Collector, Tuticorin District.

2.The District Revenue Officer, Tuticorin District.

3.The Revenue Divisional Officer, Kovilpatti, Tuticorin District.

4.The Special Tahsildar (Land Acquisition), NH 38 – Tuticorin District, Tuticorin.

5.The Deputy General Manager (Tech) cum Project Director, Project Implementation Unit, National Highways, No.2/273, 1st Floor, PSP Nagar, 2nd Street, Korampallam, Tuticorin-628 101. Dated : 21.11.2023