The land acquisition process includes meeting the claims of many stakeholders such as the Affected Families who are to be relocated from the project site, people who stay in the vicinity of the project site, the public entity, environment protection groups, social welfare groups, the private partner and Ministries such as the Ministry of Environment and Forests, the Revenue Department, the Pollution Control Boards, etc. The delays/challenges which occur include:
1. Delay in the start of the land acquisition process
2. Time consumed in obtaining consent of the Affected Families
3. Court cases/litigations - restraining orders/stay orders, etc.
4. Rehabilitation and resettlement issues
5. Clearing of titles and encumbrances over the land
Since the process of land acquisition is time consuming, it is important to start the acquisition of land at the earliest - once the extent of land required and the location have been finalised at the project structuring stage and the project is ready to be bid out.
In cases where the project site is under Government ownership but not under the ownership of the particular Department, it is advisable for the public entity to get the title of the land transferred in its name through inter-departmental transfer of ownership of land.