Publication of corrigendum under Section 3a

## Policy Analysis Report: Amendment to National Highways Act, 1956 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes an amendment to the National Highways Act of 1956, as published in the Gazette of India on May 30, 2025. The amendment, identified as S.O. 2429E, modifies notification S.O. 4689E dated October 25, 2024, concerning the construction of a road overbridge (ROB) on NH49Extn near Theni in Tamil Nadu. The key change involves substituting the Revenue Divisional Officer Periyakulam with the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul, as the responsible authority listed in the original notification. This change likely aims to streamline land acquisition processes for the ROB construction. **2. Introduction:** This report provides an overview and analysis of the amendment to the National Highways Act, 1956, published in the Gazette of India on May 30, 2025. The analysis is based solely on the provided text of the amendment. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Original Policy:** This amendment modifies the notification S.O. 4689E dated 25.10.2024 related to the construction of a ROB from Km. 75.228 to Km. 76.273 in lieu of LC68 near Theni on NH49Extn in the State of TAMIL NADU. The original notification was published under the authority of clause a of section 3 of the National Highways Act, 1956 (48 of 1956). * **Core Objective(s):** The core objective, based on the original notification and this amendment, is to facilitate the construction of a road overbridge (ROB) on National Highway NH49Extn near Theni, Tamil Nadu. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment likely addresses a need for a more specialized or efficient handling of land acquisition for the ROB construction project. The substitution of the Revenue Divisional Officer Periyakulam with the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul, suggests that a dedicated land acquisition officer is required, perhaps due to complexities or delays encountered under the original arrangement. This indicates a desire to expedite the project by optimizing the land acquisition process. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This amendment focuses specifically on changing the designated authority responsible for a particular aspect of the ROB construction project. * **Specific Part of Original Policy Changed:** The amendment modifies the schedule to the principal notification number S.O. 1265E dated 16.03.2018. Specifically, it concerns Serial No. 1 in column 2 of that schedule. * **New Rule/Provision:** The new provision substitutes the entry "Revenue Divisional Officer Periyakulam" with "Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul." * **Difference/Effect of Change:** The effect of this change is to transfer responsibility for land acquisition, previously held by the Revenue Divisional Officer Periyakulam, to the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul. This likely signifies a move towards specialized handling of land acquisition issues for the project. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** Based on the text, the target audience and stakeholders directly affected by these specific changes include: * The construction company or entity responsible for building the ROB. * Landowners and residents near the proposed construction site on NH49Extn near Theni, Tamil Nadu. * The previous responsible authority, the Revenue Divisional Officer Periyakulam. * The new responsible authority, the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul. * The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The key agencies involved are the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul, who is now responsible for land acquisition related to the ROB construction. * **Timelines or Procedures:** No specific timelines or procedures are outlined *in this amendment text itself*, although the amendment references previous notifications that may contain such details. * The implementation aspect specifically concerning the change is that all further communication and actions regarding land acquisition for this project will need to be directed to the Special District Revenue Officer, Land Acquisition, National Highways, Dindigul. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The likely intended outcome of this change is to streamline the land acquisition process for the ROB construction project. This could lead to: * Faster progress in acquiring necessary land. * Reduced delays in the overall project timeline. * Potentially, more efficient handling of land-related disputes or issues. * More focused expertise applied to the land acquisition process. **9. Conclusion:** The amendment S.O. 2429E represents a targeted adjustment to the administrative framework for the ROB construction project on NH49Extn near Theni. By substituting the responsible authority for land acquisition with a specialized officer, the amendment aims to expedite and improve the efficiency of this critical aspect of the project. While the text provides limited information on the overall scope and timelines, the shift in responsibility highlights the government's focus on optimizing processes to facilitate infrastructure development.

Key Entities Referenced