JUDGMENT :

1. All the three appeals pose challenge to identical orders passed by the learned District Judge, involving identical dates, and in support of the appeals, I have heard the learned Counsel Shri. D. S. Manorkar appearing for the appellants and the learned Counsel Shri. Kumar Gaurav More for the respondents.

2. By the present arbitration appeals, instituted under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (the ‘Act of 1996’), the appellants, the National Highways Authority of India, Project Implementation Unit, Jalgaon, raise a challenge to a decision at the hands of the Principal District Judge, Jalgaon in Civil M. A. Nos.383/2019, 334/2019 and 372/2019, respectively, thereby rejecting the applications filed by the appellants along with the appeals filed under Section 34 of the Act of 1996, seeking condonation of delay, in setting aside the Arbitration Award dated 15/01/2019, passed by the learned Arbitrator and District Collector, Jalgaon in Case Nos.1105/2015, 608/2015 and 1077/2015.

Shorn of unnecessary details, it would be suffice to state that the lands of the respondents was acquired for widening of the National Highways No.6 by the competent authority (l