Hyderabad Metro Rail project has got a major relief in Supreme Court on Friday with regard to acquisition of certain properties in Nampally and other areas on the metro course.

While land acquisition awards were passed by the Revenue authorities under the old Land Acquisition Act in the third week of December 2013, the owners of these properties approached the High Court on the ground that the awards were pre-dated and that they should be paid compensation according to the new Land Acquisition Act which came into force from January 2014.

Though the High Court observed that the awards were not pre-dated and that they were correctly passed, it nevertheless asked the government to pay compensation according to the new 2013 LA Act.

Plea in apex court

Challenging the High Court order in the Supreme Court, Hyderabad Metro Rail Ltd (HMRL) and the Telangana Government pleaded in the Supreme Court to allow them to take possession of the affected properties according to the compensation pattern under the old Act and assured the Supreme Court that they would pay compensation according to the final judgement of the Supreme Court regarding applicability of the old or the new LA Act.

With this, the balance 11 affected properties in Nampally and Ameerpet will be taken possession and the Metro Rail works in these areas will be speeded up, NVS Reddy, MD of HMRL, said.

Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and Advocate General of Telangana K Ramakrishna Reddy argued the case on behalf of Telangana and HMRL.

After hearing their arguments and the assurance given by the Advocate General, the Supreme Court allowed the State government to take possession of the affected properties and proceed with the Metro Rail project works, subject to payment of compensation according to the final judgement of Supreme Court.