The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has invalidated the land acquisition process for the proposed Bharwara Railway Over Bridge (ROB) in Gomti Nagar, citing significant procedural lapses. The court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to initiate a fresh or revised notification process within two weeks to ensure legal compliance and transparency. Key highlights of the court’s order include:
• The court identified serious procedural irregularities in the initial acquisition phase.
• A major contradiction was found between the Section 11 notification, which claimed no displacement, and the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report, which confirmed that several families would be affected.
• The state government failed to properly consider the SIA report and recommendations from an independent multidisciplinary expert group.
• Authorities did not engage in mandatory consultations with technical agencies as required under the 2013 Act.
Legal Concerns and Procedural Failures
The bench, comprising **Justices Rajan Roy and Manjeev Shukla**, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the government’s approach. The court specifically pointed out that the authorities ignored the legal requirements for displacement and rehabilitation. By failing to consult with technical agencies before making formal determinations under **Section 8(2) of the 2013 Act**, the government bypassed essential safeguards designed to protect those living near the project site.
Project Details and Financial Context
The **Y-shaped ROB project**, which is being spearheaded by the Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Limited, carries an estimated cost of approximately **129.96 crore rupees**. This development comes amidst wider infrastructure efforts in the capital; notably, a government finance committee had approved **183 crore rupees** in March 2023 for three new overbridges in Lucknow, with the Bharwara project originally assigned an estimated **65 crore rupees**.
Currently, the court is keeping a close watch on the project’s development through a **suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL)**, alongside a separate petition filed by the Scientific Swami Satyaprakash Ved Vigyan Seva Samiti. Railway commuters and local residents in Gomti Nagar are now awaiting further updates from the state government, as the future of this critical infrastructure link remains on hold pending a rectified legal process.