The New Indian Express, 13 Nov 2014, Chennai: After the new Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 has come into being, Union government is working on a new mechanism to acquire land for metro rail projects.

Union Ministry of Urban Development sources told Express that a new amendment is planned to acquire land without diluting the compensation and rehabilitation and resettlement provisions.

The sources said a circular has been sent to the state government seeking their views to amend Metro Railways (operations and maintenance) Act, 2002 to avoid any legal complications in construction, operation and maintenance of metro rail projects.

He said the state government was till now acquiring land for metro rail projects under the old land acquisition act of 1894 which has now been repealed.

In terms of Section 105 (3) of the new Land Acquisition Act, the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act 1978 needs to be amended to make it suitable for land acquisition by the state government without diluting the compensation and rehabilitation and resettlement provisions.

The source said Metro Railways (operation and Maintenance) Act 2002 is intertwined with Metro Rail (Construction of Works) Act 1978 and thus the 2002 act needs to be amended to avoid legal complications.

The source said a draft amendment to the two Central Metro Acts have been prepared after holding meetings with several stake holders. He said the Centre is seeking comments from state before the end of this week. “In case the comments are not received before the deadline, the amendments will be processed to be included in the amendment bills,” the sources added.

Sources said the land acquisition for phase II of Chennai Metro Rail would be done as per the amended act.

Web: http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Union-Govt-Plans-to-Amend-Metro-Rail-Act/2014/11/13/article2521432.ece