JUDGMENT

[Judgment of the Court was made by K.K. RAMAKRISHNAN .J.]

The appeal in C.M.A.(MD).No.95 of 2024 has been filed by the National Highways Authority, challenging the Arbitration award passed in A.R.O.P.No.55/2016 dated 07.12.2021 filed by the land owner to set aside the arbitration award by the Collector/Arbitrator dated 12.08.2016.

2. The first respondent owned lands along Dindigul – Theni and Theni - Kumuli National Highways Roads in the Survey Nos.881-1389, 888/3-1256, situated at “Veerapandi Village”, Theni District. The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (Department of Road, Transport and Highways) issued the notification dated 05.09.2012 for acquisition of an extent of 2645 sq.mtr., or 63.537 cents of dry lands belonging to the respondents’ under Section 3(A) of the National Highways Act, 1956 (herein after called as “NHAI Act”) for expanding and laying four way track (National Highways road from Dindigul – Theni and Theni - Kumuli (NH45-Ext & 220) under “the Golden Quadrilateral Scheme”. The National Highways Authority of India, (herein after called “NHAI”) is the implementing authority. The land owners submitted their objection to the acquisition and the