JUDGMENT :

A.M. KHANWILKAR, J.

1. Leave granted.

2. These appeals emanate from the common judgment and order ¹ [dated 8.4.2019 in W.P. Nos. 16146/2018, 16630/2018, 16961/2018, 19063/2018, 19385/2018, 20014/2018, 20194/2018, 20625/2018, 20626/2018, 20627/2018, 20647/2018, 20764/2018, 20969/2018, 21242/2018, 22334/2018 and 22371/2018 for short "the impugned judgment"] of the High Court of Judicature at Madras ² [for short "the High Court"] holding the notifications issued under Section 3A(1) of the National Highways Act, 1956 ³ [for short "the 1956 Act"] for acquisition of specified lands for development/construction of Chennai-Krishnagiri-Salem (National Corridor) 8 Lanes new National Highway ⁴ [for short "C-K-S (NC)"] (NH-179A and NH-179B) being part of the larger project - "Bharatmala Pariyojna Phase-I ⁵ [for short "the Project"], as illegal and bad in law on the grounds stated in the impugned judgment.

THE PROJECT

3. The Project (Bharatmala Pariyojna - Phase I) has been conceived as a new umbrella program for the highways sector that focuses on optimising efficiency of freight and pas