Supreme Court upholds land use condition

29 Sep 2023 CW Team

The Supreme Court has ruled that a government condition requiring landowners to provide a portion of land for public utility purposes in exchange for permission to change the land's use is not illegal. The court's decision overturned a judgment by the Bombay High Court. The Supreme Court cited a previous case to support its decision, stating that such a clause cannot be considered illegal. The ruling came in response to a set of appeals challenging a judgment by the Bombay High Court. The appeals were filed by Shirdi Nagar Panchayat. The case involved the conversion of land from a "No Development Zone" to a "Residential Zone," with conditions requiring the transfer of open and amenity spaces to the Municipal Council.

The Supreme Court stated, "We, therefore, allow the appeals and quash and set aside the impugned common judgment and order dated 4th July 2019 passed by the High Court. The writ petition filed by the plot holders also shall stand dismissed."

The case had involved a dispute over the conversion of land use and the conditions set by the government for the transfer of open and amenity spaces to the Municipal Council. The High Court had partially allowed the writ petition filed by the plot holders and quashed certain conditions in the government notification regarding open and amenity spaces.

The Supreme Court clarified the distinction between open space and amenity space, stating that the landowners had entered into agreements with the Municipal Council, agreeing to hand over both open and amenity spaces. The court emphasised that the delay and laches in challenging the notification after almost 14 years were not justified, and the writ petition should have been dismissed on those grounds.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari Highway Set for Completion by December 2025

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has set a new target to complete the four-lane Gurgaon-Pataudi-Rewari highway by December 2025, following a two-year delay.Originally planned in 2018 to upgrade the two-lane state highway into a national highway, the project is estimated to cost Rs 9 billion. Construction, which began in 2021, was initially scheduled for completion in November 2023. According to NHAI, around 70 per cent of the work is already complete, with two major structures still pending: a railway overbridge at Pahari village and a two-lane unidirectional flyover on Dwarka E..

UP Plans Rs 900 Million Extensions to Hindon Elevated Road

The Uttar Pradesh state bridge corporation has prepared the detailed project report and cost estimates for two proposed extensions of the 10.3-km Hindon elevated road, officials said on Thursday. The road connects Raj Nagar Extension to UP-Gate near the east Delhi border, and the project is expected to cost around Rs 900 million.The two extensions, each 400 metres long, will be added to the existing elevated road to ensure smoother traffic flow. “One of the extensions will be from near the Kanawani culvert (near Indirapuram) to the elevated road for commuters heading towards Delhi. The other..

Goa Likely to Miss October Deadline for Maritime Master Plan

Goa is expected to miss the October 31 deadline for submitting its maritime and waterways master plan, which covers the state’s 105 km coastline and river network. The delay is due to the project management consultant not yet being appointed. The plan is now anticipated to be completed by December, Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues stated at the India Maritime Week 2025 roadshow.“We have already selected the consultant and will bring them on board within a week. Only then can we begin drafting the master plan, which is essential to secure central government funding,” Rodrigues added.A c..