In a significant ruling, the Allahabad High Court has once again refused to reopen long-pending land acquisition cases related to the Yamuna Expressway project, dismissing a fresh set of petitions from farmers. The court stated that the core legal issues have been conclusively settled, including by the Supreme Court, bringing finality to the dispute.
Court Upholds Earlier Decisions, Cites Finality
A division bench comprising Justices Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Kunal Ravi Singh delivered the order on January 6, rejecting 14 writ petitions. The petitions challenged land acquisitions carried out by the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) between 2009 and 2011 in villages under Dankaur tehsil, including Parsol, Niloni Shahpur, Rabupura, Chandpur, and Acheypur.
The farmers, claiming to be bhumidhars with transferable rights, had contested the acquisition notifications issued under the Land Acquisition Act of 1894. They specifically challenged the use of urgency clauses under Sections 17(1) and 17(4), which allowed the state to bypass the mandatory hearing for landowners under Section 5-A. They argued this denied them a statutory right to object and that their residential and cattle-rearing land was not lawfully acquired.
YEIDA's Defense and the Path to Resolution
YEIDA opposed the petitions, contending that the acquisition was part of a large, integrated, and time-bound development plan along the expressway corridor, justifying the urgency. The authority presented a detailed chart showing possession dates and compensation awards, which were largely passed between 2012 and 2013.
The high court bench, after examining records, noted that the same notifications had been challenged repeatedly over the years and were already upheld. The judges referenced a November 2025 decision concerning land in Kherli Bhav, which itself relied on a pivotal 2023 ruling.
That 2023 ruling, while validating the acquisition and urgency provisions, granted substantial relief to farmers. It ordered payment of 64.7% additional compensation (a "no litigation bonus") and benefits like regularization of rural abadi sites and allotment of 7% developed abadi land for eligible parties. The Supreme Court affirmed this ruling in November 2024, declaring the urgency clause lawful and capping compensation, while directing the 64.7% bonus to apply uniformly to all affected landowners.
End of Litigation Paves Way for Development
The January 6 order declared the controversy "no longer res integra" (no longer an open question). The court held that with the matter attaining finality before the Supreme Court, repeated challenges could not be entertained.
This legal resolution unblocks the path for development. Over 1,500 allottees are now set to receive possession of their plots after a wait of nearly 16 years. Additional CEO Shailendra Bhatia stated that plots in Yamuna City's residential Sectors 18 and 20 will be handed over. Allotments in pockets K, L, and S of Sector 20, previously stalled by court cases, can now proceed. With litigation resolved, YEIDA can also complete pending road infrastructure and expedite overall development in the area.
