Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan dismissed a batch of Writ Petitions challenging acquisition of land of total extent of 5.29.5 Hectares situated at Mamallapuram, ECR. The aforementioned lands was acquired vide G.O.Ms. No. 4828 Public (Tourism Department) dated 06.12.1974. The

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Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan dismissed a batch of Writ Petitions challenging acquisition of land of total extent of 5.29.5 Hectares situated at Mamallapuram, ECR. The aforementioned lands was acquired vide G.O.Ms. No. 4828 Public (Tourism Department) dated 06.12.1974. The government later decided to establish a world class Oceanarium (Under Water World Aquarium). The total value of the proposed project to establish the Oceanarium amounted to Rs. 250 Crores.

Meanwhile the Batch of Writ Petitions were filed in which it was prayed that the land acquisition has lapsed by operation of section 24(2) of the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. The cases came up for hearing on 1.11.21. The Learned Additional Advocate General Mr. Neelakandan, appearing for the Tamil Nadu Government & Tamil Nadu Tourism Corporatoin Limited, assisted by Mr. Richardson Wilson, Counsel for Government, argued the case in length and submitted that in view of the judgement of Hon’ble Supreme Court in Indore Development Authority Vs. Manoharlal & Ors, 2021, wherein the Hon’ble Supreme Court held that as per Section 24(2) of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 when the compensation is paid/deposited or the possession is taken, that is sufficient to save the acquisition. He argued that the compensation was already settled to the Petitioners and the necessary documents were produced before the Hon’ble Court to substantiate the same. After hearing the submissions of Learned Additional Advocate General and the Learned Senior Advocate Mr. ARL Sundaresan appearing for the Petitioners at length, the Hon’ble Court was pleased to dismiss all the Writ Petitions and held that the acquisition proceedings are proper and valid.

*Therefore in light of the above judgement, after 47 years of the acquisition proceedings being under dispute, the acquired lands can finally be utilised for public purpose.*