Chhattisgarh High Court: railway land acquisition stays a public purpose even if a private firm gains incidentally

30 October 2026

The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed writ petitions against land acquisition for a railway corridor from Hathbandh Railway Station to Khaparadih village. The land is for rail connectivity to a Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal, which Shree Cement Limited is to operate. Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad held that a project keeps its public purpose even if a private operator gets an incidental benefit. What matters is the nature of the project and who will own, control and use the land, which here vests in the Central Government and the Railways. The court relied on the Supreme Court ruling in Sooraram Pratap Reddy v. District Collector, Ranga Reddy District. It said the right to object under Section 20-D of the Railways Act, 1989 is real, but gives landowners no veto over a sanctioned railway project. No case was made out for relief under Article 226. The case is Bedram Verma v. Union of India.