Asharam Kanwar vs The Project Director
2026 Latest Caselaw 734 Chatt

Chattisgarh High Court

Asharam Kanwar vs The Project Director on 19 March, 2026

                                                              1




                                                                                       2026:CGHC:13235
RUKHSAR                                                                                           NAFR
BANO
Digitally signed by
RUKHSAR BANO
Date: 2026.03.20
16:02:50 +0530
                                 HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR

                                                    WPC No. 931 of 2026


                      1 - Narayan Singh Kanwar S/o Sumer Singh Aged About 66 Years R/o Village
                      Jogisar, Tahsil Pendraroad, Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.
                                                                                          --- Petitioner

                                                           versus

                      1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project
                      Implementation Unit, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
                      2 - The Collector Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.
                      3 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land Acquisition)
                      Pendraroad, Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.
                                                                                    --- Respondents

1 - Goverdhan Prasad S/o Visheshhar @ Dineshwar Aged About 70 Years Scheduled Tribe, R/o Village Belpat, Tahsil Pendraroad District- Gaurela- Pendra - Marwahi (C.G.)

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur (C.G.) 2 - The Collector, District- Gaurela- Pendra - Marwahi (C.G.) 3 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land - Acquisition Pendraroad District- Gaurela- Pendra - Marwahi (C.G.)

--- Respondents

1 - Mangal Singh Kanwar S/o Ramsingh Kanwar Aged About 65 Years R/o Village Jogisar, Tahsil Pendraroad, District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi(Cg)

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Impleamentation Unit, Bilaspur (Cg) 2 - The Collector District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi(Cg) 3 - The Sub-Division Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land Acquisition) Pendraroad District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi(Cg)

--- Respondents

1 - Asharam Kanwar S/o Fagun Singh Aged About 40 Years Resident Of Village Belpat, Tahsil Pendraroad, District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur (C.G.)

2 - The Collector Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.) 3 - The Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue)-Competent Authority (Land-Acquisition) Pendraroad District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

--- Respondents

1 - Baliram Gond S/o Late Sitaram Aged About 40 Years R/o Village- Belpat, Tahsil- Pendraroad District- Gaurela- Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority Project Implementation Unit Bilaspur (C.G.) 2 - The Collector District- Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.) 3 - The Sub- Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land-Acquisition) Pendraroad District- Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

--- Respondents

1 - Bhaiya Lal Yadav S/o Ghasiram Aged About 57 Years R/o Village Jogisar, Tahsil Pendraroad, Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. 2 - The Collector Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Distt. Pendraroad, Chhattisgarh. 3 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land Acquisition) Pendraroad, Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

--- Respondents

1 - Prem Singh Kanwar S/o Ramayan Singh Aged About 55 Years R/o Village Jogisar, Tahsil Pendraroad, District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur (C.G.) 2 - The Collector Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi District (C.G.) 3 - The Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue)- Competent Authority (Land-Acquisition) Pendraroad District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (C.G.)

--- Respondents

1 - Jaipal Singh Kanwar S/o Bandhu Singh Aged About 70 Years R/o Village Belpat, Tahsil Pendraroad, District Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi C.G.

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur C.G. 2 - The Collector, District Gaurela-Pendra- Marwahi C.G. 3 - The Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue)-Competent Authority (Land Acquisition) Pendraroad, District Gaurela-Pendra- Marwahi C.G.

--- Respondents

1 - Shiv Singh Kanwar S/o Samar Singh Aged About 70 Years R/o Village Belpat, Tahsil Pendraroad, Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.

---Petitioner

Versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. 2 - The Collector Distt. Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh. 3 - The Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land Acquisition) Pendraroad, Distt.Gaurela Pendra Marwahi, Chhattisgarh.

--- Respondents

1 - Purshottam S/o Hiralal Bhaina, Aged About 45 Years R/o Village Jogisar, Tahsil Pendraroad, District- Gaurela- Pendra- Marwahi (C.G.) ... Petitioner

versus

1 - The Project Director Bhartiya National Highway Authority, Project Implementation Unit, Bilaspur (C.G.) 2 - The Collector, District- Gaurela- Pendra- Marwahi (C.G.) 3 - The Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue) Competent Authority (Land - Acquisition) Pendraroad, District- Gaurela- Pendra- Marwahi (C.G.) ... Respondents

(Cause title, as taken from CIS)

For Petitioners : Mr. Somnath Verma, Advocate For Respondent No.1 : Mr. Dhiraj Kumar Wankhede, Counsel For State/Respondent Nos.2 & 3 : Mr. Shobhit Mishra, Dy. GA and Mr. Abhishek Gupta, Panel Lawyer.

(Hon'ble Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi)

Order on Board

19/03/2026

1. Since the issue involved in all the above writ petitions is one and the

same, therefore, they are being heard analogously and decided by this

common order.

2. The Writ Petition bearing WPC No.1110/2026 contains the same issue

and the same reliefs, therefore, it is also heard along with the present

batch of writ petitions and decided by this common order.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are

residents of Villages Jogisar and Belpat, respectively. Some portion of

their lands has been utilised for the construction of the Ratanpur to

Jabalpur National Highway 45 without following the due process of

law. He further submits that the compensation has not been paid to the

petitioners.

4. In reply, learned counsel appearing for the respondent No.1 submits

that the lands of the petitioners in the writ petitions bearing WPC

No.923/2026, WPC No.925/2026 and WPC No.1006/2026 have been

acquired for the construction of the aforesaid road, and compensation

has also been deposited in the office of respondent No.3.

5. In respect of the other cases, learned counsel for the State/respondent

Nos.2 & 3 submits that various other persons of Villages Dugra,

Umarkhohi, Belpat, Jogisar, Banjhorka, Khodri, Thengadand,

Gaurkheda, Peeparkhunti and Kenwachi have filed representations

before respondent No.3 stating that their lands have also been

affected by the construction of the aforementioned road, therefore,

respondent No.3 has constituted a team of Revenue Officers vide

Order No.3041 /अ.वि.अ. / भू०अ०/2025, Pendra Road, dated 22.09.2025,

to conduct an inquiry. He further submits that the petitioners may also

file an appropriate application/representation before respondent No.3

so that the team constituted by respondent No.3 may also examine

their grievances.

6. In response to the above contentions made by learned State counsel,

learned counsel for the petitioners would submit that the petitioners in

the other cases, whose lands have been affected but for whom

compensation has not been paid to them, will also file

representations/applications before respondent No.3. Therefore, he

prays that these writ petitions may be disposed of granting liberty to

the petitioners to file their representations/applications for redressal of

their grievance.

7. As contended by learned counsel for respondent No.1, compensation

has already been deposited in favour of the petitioners in three cases,

i.e., WPC No.923/2026, WPC No.925/2026, and WPC No.1006/2026.

Consequently, the petitioners in these cases may file appropriate

applications/ representations for disbursement of the compensation.

8. Having considered the contentions put forth by learned counsel for the

parties and without making any comment on the merits of the cases,

these writ petitions are disposed of by granting liberty to all the

petitioners to file their representations/applications for redressal of

their grievance before respondent No.3, within a period of 15 days

from today. In the event of such applications/representations being

filed, respondent No.3 is directed to inquire into the issue and decide

the applications/representations filed by the petitioners. It is further

observed that if it is found that any parcel of the petitioners' land has

been utilised for the construction of the said road, appropriate

proceedings shall be initiated with regard to grant of compensation and

other benefits to the petitioners, in accordance with law.

9. With the aforesaid observations and directions, all the writ petitions

stand disposed of.

10. Pending interlocutory application(s), if any, also stands disposed of. No

order as to cost(s).

Sd/-

(Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi) JUDGE

Rukhsar