JAIPAL VIDYALANKAR Vs. D D A

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These writ petitions are by residents of village Nangal Devat who have been found eligible for allotment of alternate plots of land in Village Rangpuri in lieu of the abadi lands acquired in Nangal Devat for the purposes of expansion of the international airport at Delhi. The Petitioners approached this Court when letters dated 11.1.2007 and 19.1.2007 were issued by the Delhi Development Authority (`DDA") allotting the plots in Rangpuri subject to certain conditions. The principal grievance of the Petitioners was that the time indicated in the letters for handing over possession, i.e., 31.1.2007 was too short. It was further stated that the site where the alternate plots were located, was not developed and lacked basic infrastructure. Thirdly, the conditionalities attached to the letters were onerous and prejudicial to the Petitioners.

(2.) The scheme for rehabilitation of land-holders in village Nangal Devat whose lands were acquired for expansion of international airport was mooted during the course of the hearing of Writ Petition (Civil) No. 481 of 1982 (Daryo Singh v. Union of India and Another) and batch in this Court. Those petitions challenged the acquisition of the lands in village Nangal Devat by means of a Section 4 Notification issued in 1972. An Award was issued in 1986. The Airport Authority of India (AAI), for whose benefit the acquisition has taken place, informed this Court during the course of the hearing of those writ petitions that a scheme for rehabilitation would be framed and implemented. On that basis the challenge to the acquisition was withdrawn by the Petitioners.

(3.) Thereafter the Court was engaged in ensuring the implementation of this scheme of rehabilitation. This involved allotting plots of land of various sizes in village Rangpuri. Detailed orders were made by this Court from time to time to ensure that the claims of the landholders for alternate plots would be decided in an expeditious manner. That aspect of the matter has been separately considered in another batch of petitions.