SC upholds land acquisition by DDA, DSIIDC & DMRC for infra projects

27 May 2024 CW Team

In a verdict issued on May 17, a bench comprising justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhyan overturned a Delhi High Court ruling that had declared the acquisition proceedings null and void under Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013.

The Supreme Court's decision came after hearing arguments on numerous petitions challenging the High Court order. The bench emphasised that rejecting government petitions based on filing delays would harm public interest. It acknowledged that many of the acquisitions had been completed; with possession taken or compensation paid, and that undoing these projects would negatively impact the public.

The verdict clarified that landowners could still claim compensation if not already paid, along with interest and statutory benefits under the 1894 Act. The court directed the Government of NCT of Delhi and its authorities to take possession of lands falling under the specified category (List E-2) if not already done, and continue uninterrupted work on public infrastructure projects.

For cases where compensation had been deposited but not claimed by landowners or where possession had been contested, the court directed the Delhi High Court to investigate allegations of fraud and determine rightful titleholders. It extended the deadline for initiating fresh acquisition proceedings under the 2013 Act by a year, considering the unique circumstances.

In cases where government entities failed to take possession or provide compensation, the court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to extend the time limit for initiating fresh acquisition proceedings, ensuring fairness and justice in these matters.

(Source: ET)

The Supreme Court has upheld the land acquisitions made between 1957 and 2006 by various government bodies such as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), East Delhi Municipal Corporation, and the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for public infrastructure projects. These acquisitions were initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, to facilitate the planned development of the national capital. In a verdict issued on May 17, a bench comprising justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhyan overturned a Delhi High Court ruling that had declared the acquisition proceedings null and void under Section 24(2) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Supreme Court's decision came after hearing arguments on numerous petitions challenging the High Court order. The bench emphasised that rejecting government petitions based on filing delays would harm public interest. It acknowledged that many of the acquisitions had been completed; with possession taken or compensation paid, and that undoing these projects would negatively impact the public. The verdict clarified that landowners could still claim compensation if not already paid, along with interest and statutory benefits under the 1894 Act. The court directed the Government of NCT of Delhi and its authorities to take possession of lands falling under the specified category (List E-2) if not already done, and continue uninterrupted work on public infrastructure projects. For cases where compensation had been deposited but not claimed by landowners or where possession had been contested, the court directed the Delhi High Court to investigate allegations of fraud and determine rightful titleholders. It extended the deadline for initiating fresh acquisition proceedings under the 2013 Act by a year, considering the unique circumstances. In cases where government entities failed to take possession or provide compensation, the court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to extend the time limit for initiating fresh acquisition proceedings, ensuring fairness and justice in these matters. (Source: ET)

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Jun 2026

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..