MUKESHBHAI RAMANBHAI DESAI Vs. COMPETENT AUTHORITY NATIONAL HIGHWAY AUTHORITY OF INDIA AND DEPUTY COLLECTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) We have heard Mr. Bhavyaraj Gohil, learned advocate appearing for Shri A.J.Yagnik, learned counsel for the petitioners, Mr.Tirthraj Pandya, learned Assistant Government Pleader for the State- respondents and Ms.Manvi Damle, learned advocate for Shri Maulik Nanavati, learned counsel appearing for the respondent - National Highway Authority of India.

(2.) At the outset, Mr.Gohil has made pressing of this petition only for applicability of Factor-2 to be applied while finally calculating the award as the per compensation vide the judgment dtd. 12/9/2019 passed by a Division Bench of this Court in a group of writ petitions led by Special Civil Application No.8734 of 2019. He has further specifically submitted that the benefit extended in paragraphs 19, 20 and 21 of the said judgment may be extended and applied in the case of the present petitioners. In other matters, the earlier award needs to be revised and a fresh award needs to be given in the light of the judgment dtd. 12/9/2019 referred to above which has since been affirmed by the Supreme Court and now the State and National Highway Authority of India are complying the same subject to fulfillment of the conditions for getting the benefit of Factor-2. However, it is more or less admitted subject to verification, by the respondent - NHAI that the petitioners are and would be entitled to the benefit of Factor-2. It goes without saying that the benefit would be extended so long as the petitioners are entitled to and eligible for the same, depending upon the location. We direct that the decision to redetermine the compensation be taken in light of the judgment dtd. 12/9/2019 wherein we have also fixed eight weeks' time to the competent authority to make the award and further we have granted 21 days time to the National Highway Authority of India to make necessary deposit so that the land owners may get the benefit at the earliest.

(3.) Mr. Bhavyaraj has also sought liberty that the petitioners if determination of rate of land are by which the compensation is calculated are not satisfied they may have the liberty to avail the remedy available under the law for seeking enhancement. We make it clear that we are not curtailing any right of the petitioners available to them under law for claiming the highest compensation which they can get subject to availing the appropriate remedy in accordance to law and establishing their rights for higher compensation.