In exercise of the powers conferred by subsection 1 of Section 20A of the Railways Act, 1989

## Report on Amendment Regarding Land Acquisition for Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor in Bihar **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification published by the Ministry of Railways, Government of India, which amends a previous notification concerning land acquisition for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) project in Aurangabad district, Bihar. The amendment specifically modifies the schedule of land to be acquired, providing updated details regarding plot numbers, affected areas, and their corresponding sizes in hectares and acres. The key finding is a revised list of land parcels being acquired for this railway project, impacting landowners in specific villages within the Aurangabad district. **2. Introduction:** This report aims to provide an informative overview of the amendment to the land acquisition notification for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project in Aurangabad district, Bihar. The analysis is based solely on the provided text of the notification published in the Gazette of India. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Amendment To:** Notification of the Government of India, in Ministry of Railway, Railway Board published in the Gazette of India, on dated the 11th March, 2021, Extraordinary Part II, section 3, subsection ii vide number S.O. 1158E, dated the 10th March, 2021. * **Core Objective(s):** To acquire land for the Special Railway Project, namely the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) in the Aurangabad district of the State of Bihar. **4. Background and Rationale:** The provided text indicates that this is a *corrigendum*, meaning an amendment or correction to a previously published notification. The likely reason for this specific amendment is to correct or update the schedule of land parcels to be acquired for the Eastern DFC project. This may be due to errors in the original notification, changes in project design requiring different land parcels, or updated land survey information. The amendment aims to ensure the accurate identification and acquisition of the necessary land for the railway project. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This amendment focuses *specifically* on the schedule of land being acquired. * **Specific Part Changed:** The schedule attached to the original notification (S.O. 1158E, dated March 10, 2021) is entirely replaced. * **New Rule/Provision:** The amendment provides a new schedule that lists the updated details of the land to be acquired. The schedule includes the following information for each land parcel: * S.No. (Serial Number) * Thana Number * Mouza (Village) * Plot No. * Affected Area (Full or Part) * Area Plot in Hectares * Area Plot in Acres * **Difference/Effect of Change:** This new schedule replaces the previous one. It provides landowners and other stakeholders with the *correct* and *updated* details of the land parcels that are subject to acquisition for the Eastern DFC project. The change could mean that land previously listed is no longer required, or that new land parcels are now included in the acquisition plans. Without access to the original schedule, the specific differences cannot be detailed, but the effect is to implement the *updated* acquisition plan. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The target audience and stakeholders directly affected by this amendment include: * **Landowners** in the specified villages (Gamhari, Jamhore, Shankarpur, Deoriya, Phesar, Alampur, Banchar Bagra, Charkawan, Mai) within the Aurangabad district of Bihar. They are directly affected by the potential acquisition of their land. * **Residents** within the same area who may experience impacts from the construction of the railway corridor. * **The Ministry of Railways and Railway Board:** They are responsible for the project and the land acquisition process. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Railways and the Railway Board are responsible for implementing this amendment. The Executive Director, LA (Land Acquisition) and SD (Settlement and Development), is also mentioned, indicating a specific role within the Railway Board. * **Timelines or Procedures:** The text doesn't specify any timelines or procedures beyond the publication of the notification. It can be inferred that the standard land acquisition procedures under the Railways Act, 1989, will be followed. * **Implementation related to the amendment**: The primary implementation aspect of the amendment is updating the official records regarding land acquisition for the project. This likely necessitates informing affected landowners, updating land maps, and proceeding with land acquisition processes based on the *revised* schedule. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcome of this amendment is to ensure the accurate and efficient acquisition of land for the Eastern DFC project. This will lead to the smooth execution of the railway project. The potential impact of these specific changes introduced by the amendment text are: * **Clarification and Correction:** The amendment clarifies any ambiguities or errors in the original land acquisition schedule, leading to a smoother land acquisition process. * **Potential Re-Evaluation:** Landowners may need to re-evaluate their situation based on whether their land is now included, excluded, or has a different affected area according to the updated schedule. * **Reduced Disputes:** Correcting errors early in the process can minimize future disputes and legal challenges. **9. Conclusion:** The notification analyzed represents an amendment to the land acquisition plan for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project in the Aurangabad district of Bihar. This amendment updates the schedule of land to be acquired, providing critical information to landowners and other stakeholders. This amendment is significant as it ensures the accurate and efficient acquisition of land, which is crucial for the successful completion of the Eastern DFC project.

Key Entities Referenced