Gurgaon: In a bid to fast-track the long-pending Millennium City Centre-Cyber City Metro corridor, the Haryana govt has notified a policy allowing GMRL to directly purchase private land through negotiated settlements. It has retained the option of compulsory acquisition if landowners refuse to cooperate.While most of the 29.05km corridor alignment passes through govt-owned land, officials acknowledge that certain stretches — including viaduct sections close to existing buildings, properties requiring demolition and a metro depot planned largely on public land — necessitate acquisition of small but critical private parcels.
“Even limited delays in acquiring these patches could affect the commissioning timeline of the entire project,” a GMRL official said.The policy, notified by the town and country planning department on Jan 8, applies to private land required for the metro corridor, a key component of Gurgaon’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan, which envisages nearly 200km of metro and mass transport networks by 2041.Under the new ‘Direct Purchase through Mutual Negotiation’ model, landowners who agree to sell will be offered compensation calculated as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, with an additional 25% incentive. Rehabilitation and resettlement benefits are deemed to be included in this enhanced amount. Payments will be made directly to landowners’ bank accounts through electronic transfer, stamp duty on land registration will be waived and the entire cost will be borne by GMRL.A senior GMRL official said, “The policy is based on a mutual negotiation model, which is voluntary and more beneficial for landowners. Under this mechanism, compensation is substantially higher than market value, with additional premiums, solatium and disturbance allowances and payments are made upfront.”However, the policy also makes it clear that the negotiation route is time-bound. If a landowner refuses to sell, raises unresolved objections, or declines to participate in negotiations, the govt may initiate compulsory acquisition proceedings under the RFCTLARR Act, 2013. In such cases, landowners would forgo the negotiated premium and be bound by statutory timelines and compensation mechanisms. The GMRL official added, “Only if a landowner chooses not to participate in the negotiated settlement does the govt resort to the Central Land Acquisition Act, 2013 — a law that applies uniformly across the country for public infrastructure projects such as metros, highways and railways. Even under that Act, there is a defined legal process, including notices, objections, compensation awards and the right to challenge the award in courts up to the Supreme Court. The negotiated settlement policy has been introduced precisely to avoid compulsory acquisition, reduce litigation and ensure faster execution of metro project while offering better compensation to landowners.”
