JUDGMENT

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

The appeal in C.M.A.(MD).No.631 of 2022 has been filed by the National Highways Authority, challenging the Arbitration award passed in A.R.O.P.No.7/2016 dated 21.10.2019 filed by the land owner to set aside the arbitration award by the Collector/Arbitrator dated 16.11.2015.

2. The first respondent owned lands along Madurai-Trichy National Highways Road in the Survey Nos.1/3, 2/2, 2/3A, 2/4A, 2/12, 3/1, 76, 77, situated at “Rajagambeeram Village”, Madurai District. The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (Department of Road, Transport and Highways) issued the notification dated 08.07.2004, for acquisition of an extent of 2720 sq.mtr., 71sq.metre, 163 sq.metre, 8 sq.metre, 1280 sq.metre, 63 sq.metre, 880 sq.metre and 9010 sq.metre, totally 14,195 sq.metre or 350.753 cents of wet land 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 Madurai- Trichy (NH45B) under “the Golden Quadrilateral Scheme”. The National Highways Authority of India, (herein after called “NHAI”) is