Digital Goa, July 30 – In a significant development, the High Court has stayed the operation of the final land acquisition declaration for the proposed High Level New Borim Bridge and its approach roads on NH-566, holding that the challenge raises a strong prima facie case regarding compliance with mandatory environmental and forest clearance requirements. The interim order was passed by the Court in a petition filed by Salvador Alves and 39 others, including local landowners, occupants and agricultural tenants from Loutulim and Borim. The petitioners contend that the proposed alignment passes through cultivated fields, khazan lands, CRZ areas and provisionally identified private forest land.The Court admitted the petition and fixed the matter for final hearing on October 12, 2026. It stayed the operation and implementation of the Section 3-D declaration issued on October 11, 2024. A Section 3-D declaration under the National Highways Act is the final stage of land acquisition through which the acquired land legally vests in the Central Government, enabling authorities to take possession and proceed with the project. The Court observed that a Supreme Court ruling has indicated that such a declaration should ordinarily be issued only after obtaining mandatory environmental and forest clearances. As part of the interim relief, the Court restrained the authorities from taking physical possession of the land, dispossessing landowners, commencing construction or awarding third-party construction contracts based on the stayed declaration. However, it permitted the authorities to continue pursuing CRZ and forest clearances, undertake non-invasive surveys, finalise project estimates and process tenders at their own risk. The Court also granted liberty to the authorities to seek modification or vacation of the stay after obtaining the required statutory clearances.
