The high court was hearing a batch of writ petitions challenging notifications for land acquisition in Jewar Airport project.
Challenge to Jewar Airport expansion
The petitions, led by Vijay Pal Singh and others, challenged the April 11, 2025 preliminary notification under Section 11 and the October 24, 2025 declaration under Section 19 of the 2013 Act.
The acquisition forms part of Stage-2 (Phase-2 and Phase-3) of the Noida International Airport project in Gautam Buddha Nagar district, covering 14 villages including Neemka Shahjahanpur, Khawajpur and Thora.
The land is intended for major aviation infrastructure such as additional runways, cargo terminals, maintenance facilities and transport connectivity systems at Jewar Airport.
Petitioners argued that while they did not oppose acquisition of agricultural land, the displacement of village abadi areas was illegal and carried out in violation of mandatory statutory safeguards.
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Consent requirement met, says court
A key point of the challenge was that the mandatory consent of 70 per cent of affected families in a public-private partnership project had not been obtained.
Rejecting this contention, the high court held that 73.02 per cent of affected families had consented, exceeding the statutory threshold.
It noted that earlier lower figures cited by the petitioners were based on uncorrected data that counted some families multiple times across villages.
Social impact assessment upheld
The high court also dismissed allegations of flaws in the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) process.
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It noted that the SIA notification was issued on June 30, 2023, public hearings were conducted in December 2023, and an expert group approved the report on February 9, 2024.
The state government granted final approval on January 8, 2025.
The high court clarified that the purpose of SIA hearings is to record public views, not adjudicate individual objections, and found that all statutory steps had been duly followed.
Objections, procedure found valid
On procedural lapses, the high court held that objections under Section 15 were duly heard in July 2025 and rejected through a reasoned order.
The state government subsequently approved the report before issuing the Section 19 declaration.
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It also upheld the legality of conducting certain stages of the process concurrently, observing that a strictly sequential reading would make compliance with statutory timelines impractical.
Rehabilitation, compensation
The high court took note of the detailed Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) scheme prepared for displaced families.
Key benefits include developed residential plots (up to 50 per cent of land held, subject to limits), Rs 5 lakh lump sum or annuity option, monthly subsistence allowance and additional assistance for vulnerable families.
Compensation awarded ranges between approximately Rs 4,772 and Rs 4,778 per square metre, including solatium and statutory additions.
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The high court recorded that possession of abadi land would be taken only after implementation of the R and R scheme and allotment of developed plots.
Public purpose, economic impact
Highlighting the broader implications, the high court observed that the Jewar Airport expansion is a project of national importance aimed at decongesting Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and boosting economic activity in the region.
The Jewar Airport project is expected to generate employment, strengthen manufacturing and exports, and enhance connectivity to key tourism hubs such as Agra and Mathura, the high court said.
Final verdict
Dismissing all writ petitions, the high court upheld the acquisition proceedings in their entirety, concluding that the process complied with the 2013 Act and that no grounds were made out for judicial interference.
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