Publication of notification under Section 3a MORTH

## Report on Amendment to National Highways Act, 1956 **1. Executive Summary:** This report analyzes a notification (S.O. 2578E) issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, amending a previous notification (S.O. 35E, dated January 7, 2014) related to land acquisition for National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) in Andhra Pradesh. The amendment concerns the specific stretch of land from km 69.500 to km 126.512, Komarigire to Dhindi, and provides a revised schedule detailing the villages and areas affected by the land acquisition. This report outlines the changes, affected stakeholders, and likely implications of this amendment, focusing on its impact on land acquisition processes and affected communities. **2. Introduction:** This report aims to provide a clear and concise overview of the amendment notification S.O. 2578E, issued on June 3, 2022, regarding land acquisition for the expansion of National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) in Andhra Pradesh. The analysis is based solely on the provided text of the notification and intends to inform stakeholders about the nature and implications of this amendment. **3. Policy Overview:** * **Amendment:** This notification amends the Government of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, notification number S.O. 35E, dated the 7th January 2014. * **Core Objective(s):** The core objective, as inferred from the text, is to facilitate the acquisition of land required for the construction/expansion of National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) between km 69.500 and km 126.512 within the state of Andhra Pradesh. **4. Background and Rationale:** The amendment likely arises from the need to update or revise the original land acquisition plan for the specified stretch of National Highway 214 (New NH 216). Possible reasons, inferring solely from the amendment text, could include changes to the road alignment, updated land surveys revealing discrepancies, or the need to incorporate additional land plots not initially included in the original notification. The inclusion of specific village names suggests a need to refine the previously defined area. **5. Key Provisions / Changes:** This notification substitutes the schedule within the original notification (S.O. 35E, dated January 7, 2014). The key change is the updated schedule providing specific details of the land being acquired for National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) from km 69.500 to km 126.512, Komarigire to Dhindi in Andhra Pradesh. Specifically, the new schedule provides a detailed list of affected villages, categorized by District, Taluk/Mandal, and their respective locations along the highway stretch. This level of detail was presumably not present in the original schedule or required updating. The change offers a more precise definition of the impacted area. **6. Target Audience and Stakeholders:** The primary target audience and stakeholders directly affected by this amendment include: * Landowners in the listed villages (Amalapuram, Bhatnavilli, Peruru, Annampalli, Gadilanka, Komanapalli, Mummidivaram, Tanelanka, Anathavaram, Komaragiri, Yadurulanka, I.Polavaram, Patha Injaram, Pasuvullanka, Muramalla, Katrenikona, Cheyyeru, Allavaram, Bodasakurru, Razole, Palagummi, B. Savaram, Sivakodu, Malikipuram, Guddimellanka, Pasarlapudi, Mamidikuduru, Nagaram, Geddada, Mogalikuduru) within the Konaseema District of Andhra Pradesh. * Residents of these villages. * Local authorities (District Collector, Taluk/Mandal officials) responsible for land acquisition and compensation. * Construction companies involved in the National Highway project. **7. Implementation Aspects (Inferred):** * **Responsible Agency/Bodies:** The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is the responsible central government body. The Joint Collector of Konaseema District, Andhra Pradesh, is directly involved in the land acquisition process at the local level. * **Timelines/Procedures:** The notification itself doesn't specify timelines or procedures. However, it implicitly triggers the land acquisition process under the National Highways Act, 1956. * **Implementation Specific to Amendment:** The amendment necessitates the local authorities to follow the *new* schedule in the notification (S.O. 2578E) for land acquisition activities. Compensation and relocation efforts must be aligned with the revised list of affected villages and land parcels. **8. Expected Outcomes / Impact of Changes:** The intended outcome of this amendment is a more efficient and accurate land acquisition process for the National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) project. By providing a detailed schedule of affected villages, the amendment aims to: * Reduce ambiguity and potential disputes related to land ownership. * Streamline the identification and notification of affected landowners. * Facilitate a smoother transition to the construction phase of the highway project. * Enable fair compensation to those whose land is being acquired. The detailed schedule likely reduces the chances of overlooking affected parties and increases the transparency of the land acquisition process. **9. Conclusion:** The amendment notification S.O. 2578E represents a refinement of the land acquisition plan for a specific section of National Highway No. 214 (New NH 216) in Andhra Pradesh. By providing a detailed schedule of affected villages, the amendment aims to improve the efficiency, transparency, and fairness of the land acquisition process. Stakeholders, especially landowners in the listed villages and local authorities, should carefully review the notification to understand its implications and ensure compliance with the revised land acquisition plan. This level of detail suggests this amendment is important to ensure a successful project that considers local impacts.

Key Entities Referenced