My land is being acquired by NHAI for a highway. Where should I file the RTI — with NHAI or the District Collector?

Both, for different information. The Land Acquisition Collector (typically the District Collector or a designated officer of the state government) conducts the acquisition proceedings, determines market value, and passes the award under the LARR Act. File RTI with the Land Acquisition Collector's office (through the state RTI portal) for the award details, market value basis, SIA report, and R&R entitlements. NHAI is the requiring body — it initiates the acquisition and implements the highway project. File RTI with NHAI (rtionline.gov.in → MoRTH → NHAI) for the project details, the Section 3A/3D notification (for NHAI acquisitions under the National Highways Act, 1956 — a separate law), the compensation offer under NHAI's scheme, and any delays in NHAI releasing funds to the Collector. For most state highway and other Central project acquisitions, the LARR Act 2013 applies and the Collector is the primary RTI authority.

I believe the market value for my land was calculated incorrectly. What RTI questions expose this?

Under Section 26 of the LARR Act, 2013, the Collector must determine market value as the higher of: (a) the average sale price of similar land (same classification) based on 50% of the highest value of sale deeds registered in the three years before the Section 4 notification, OR (b) the consented amount for similar land in the area. A multiplier of up to 2 (for rural land) is then applied under Section 28. Ask in your RTI: (1) the specific sale deeds the Collector relied on for the market value determination — survey numbers, sale dates, areas, and prices; (2) whether 50% of the highest value was taken and the calculation; (3) whether the land was classified as rural (attracting the multiplier up to 2x) or urban (no multiplier) and the basis; (4) the multiplier applied. With the sale deed data from the RTI, you can verify the calculation — errors in deed selection or multiplier application are grounds for a reference to the Land Acquisition Court under Section 64 of the LARR Act.

The government invoked the urgency clause to bypass the SIA and direct possession. Is this legal and how can RTI help challenge it?

The urgency clause under Section 40 of the LARR Act can be invoked only for specified purposes — defence, national security, disaster management, or any emergency involving sudden natural calamity. For regular infrastructure projects (highways, industrial zones), the urgency clause cannot legally bypass the SIA requirement. RTI to the acquiring authority can: (1) confirm whether Section 40 was invoked and obtain the notification; (2) obtain the stated grounds on which urgency was declared; (3) confirm whether the prior approval prescribed under Section 40(2) (from the Central Government for Central projects) was obtained. If Section 40 was invoked for a project that does not qualify as an emergency — a highway, an SEZ, or a government housing project — the urgency acquisition is legally vulnerable to challenge before the High Court by way of a writ petition. The RTI evidence (the urgency notification text and grounds) is the foundation for that challenge.

What is the Social Impact Assessment and can I get the SIA report through RTI?

The Social Impact Assessment (SIA) under Sections 4–9 of the LARR Act, 2013 is a mandatory study for most land acquisitions (except those exempt under Sections 10A and 10B). An independent multi-disciplinary expert group must assess the social impact, including the number of families affected, livelihood impacts, and whether the land acquisition is absolutely necessary. The SIA report is a public document. Through RTI, ask for: (1) whether an SIA was conducted for the project; (2) a copy of the SIA report; (3) the findings of the Expert Group constituted under Section 7 and whether it approved the acquisition; (4) whether the SIA report was published for public objections under Section 5(2). If the government proceeded with acquisition without conducting the required SIA (or without publishing it for objections), this is a ground for challenging the acquisition process before the High Court.

Where does the second appeal go for land acquisition RTIs?

This depends on which authority you filed with. The Land Acquisition Collector is a state government officer — RTI filed with the Collector's office goes up to the State Information Commission as the second appeal body. If you filed with NHAI (for National Highway acquisitions), RTI filed with NHAI (a Central Government body under MoRTH) has the CIC as the second appeal body. For other Central project acquisitions (Railways, Defence, CPWD), second appeal is CIC. For state project acquisitions (state roads, state industrial development, urban development authority), second appeal is the State Information Commission. The dividing line is whether the acquiring authority is a Central Government or state government body.

Home/Guides/How to File RTI for Land Acquisition — Compensation, Award and Rehabilitation under LARR Act 2013

Central Government

How to File RTI for Land Acquisition — Compensation, Award and Rehabilitation under LARR Act 2013

Step-by-step guide to file an RTI for land acquisition proceedings under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act). Covers compensation award details, market value basis, Social Impact Assessment findings, rehabilitation and resettlement entitlements, and urgency clause invocation. Includes a ready-to-use sample RTI draft.

Updated 24 May 2026

Quick Facts

MinistryMinistry of Rural Development (LARR Act administration) / Relevant Acquiring Authority (Central or State Government body)

Address RTI ToPIO of the Land Acquisition Collector's office / District Collectorate / Relevant Acquiring Authority

Application Fee₹10 under RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. Free for BPL cardholders.

Response Time30 days from receipt (Section 7(1), RTI Act 2005). 48 hours if the matter involves life or liberty.

File Online Athttps://rtionline.gov.in

All information on this page is based on the Right to Information Act, 2005 (Act No. 22 of 2005) and the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2005. First Appeal: Section 19(1). Second Appeal to CIC/SIC: Section 19(3).

The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act) replaced the colonial Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The LARR Act significantly strengthened the rights of landowners and affected families — mandating Social Impact Assessments, requiring consent from 70–80% of affected families for private company and PPP acquisitions, prescribing transparent compensation formulas with multipliers, and guaranteeing Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) entitlements.

Despite these protections, land acquisition in India is frequently marred by undervaluation of compensation, suppression of SIA requirements, invocation of the urgency clause for non-emergency projects, and delays in R&R implementation. RTI is a powerful tool at every stage — from the preliminary notification to the final award to R&R implementation.

The LARR Act Process: Where RTI Applies at Each Stage

Section 4: Preliminary notification → SIA study commissioned
Section 5: Public hearing on SIA
Section 7: Expert Group examines SIA
Section 11: Final notification for acquisition
Section 21: Collector's notice to affected persons
Section 26: Market value determination
Section 30: Solatium (100% of market value added)
Section 38: Award passed by Collector
Sections 31–32: R&R Award → R&R implementation

RTI can be used at every stage — to obtain the notifications, the SIA report, the market value basis, and the R&R award.

The Compensation Formula Under LARR Act 2013

Component	Amount
Market Value	Determined under Section 26 (sale deed method or circle rate — whichever is higher)
Multiplier (rural land)	Up to 2× the market value (Section 28)
Solatium	100% of market value (Section 30)
Effective rural minimum	Market value × 2 (multiplier) + 100% solatium = up to 4× market value

RTI can verify every input in this formula — the sale deed data used, the multiplier applied, and the solatium calculation.

Which Authority to RTI

Acquiring Body	RTI Authority	Filing Portal	Second Appeal
NHAI (National Highways)	NHAI (via District Collector for LARR Act proceedings)	rtionline.gov.in (NHAI); state portal (Collector)	CIC (NHAI); State SIC (Collector)
Indian Railways	Railway Land Acquisition Officers / District Collector	rtionline.gov.in (Railways); state portal (Collector)	CIC (Railways); State SIC (Collector)
State Government / SDA / SIDA	District Collector / Land Acquisition Collector	State RTI portal	State Information Commission
DDA / CPWD (Central Delhi projects)	District Collector / DDA	State portal (Collector); rtionline.gov.in (DDA)	State SIC (Collector); CIC (DDA)

Most compensation disputes require RTI with the Land Acquisition Collector — a state government officer. File through your state's RTI portal.

Where to File

For state-level Land Acquisition Collector matters (the most common case): file through your state's RTI portal with the Collectorate or the Land Acquisition office.

For NHAI acquisitions: file on rtionline.gov.in → Ministry of Road Transport and Highways → NHAI. Note: NHAI acquisitions for national highways are often conducted under the National Highways Act, 1956 (a separate law from LARR Act) — confirm which law applies to your project.

What Specific Information Can You Ask For?

Acquisition notifications:

Copy of Section 4(1) preliminary notification / Section 11 notification for the acquisition involving Survey No. XXX, Village Name — date, purpose, acquiring body
Whether SIA was conducted — copy of the SIA report and the Expert Group's findings and recommendations

Compensation: 3. Market value determined under Section 26 — the sale deeds used as reference (dates, amounts, survey nos.), the 50% highest-value calculation, and the multiplier applied 4. Copy of the Section 38 Award for Survey No. XXX — total compensation, breakdown into market value, multiplier, solatium, and any other components

Urgency clause: 5. Whether Section 40 urgency was invoked — copy of the urgency notification and the grounds stated; whether prior approval under Section 40(2) was obtained

R&R entitlements: 6. R&R Award for affected families of Survey No. XXX — entitlements determined under the Second Schedule (employment, house site, subsistence allowance) and whether they have been provided

Appeals

First Appeal (Section 19(1)): File with the FAA at the relevant authority within 30 days of the date of decision or expiry of the 30-day response period, whichever is applicable.

Second Appeal (Section 19(3)): For state-level Land Acquisition Collector, file with the State Information Commission within 90 days. For Central Government acquiring bodies (NHAI, Railways, Defence), file with the Central Information Commission (CIC).

For compensation disputes, note that the statutory remedy is a reference to the Land Acquisition Court under Section 64 of the LARR Act — RTI obtains the factual record that supports such a reference.

Sample RTI Application Draft

To,
The Public Information Officer (PIO),
[Land Acquisition Collector / District Collector / Relevant Acquiring Authority]
[Office Address, District, State]

Subject: Application under the Right to Information Act, 2005 — Land Acquisition Compensation Basis, Award Details and R&R Entitlements

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], owner / affected person in respect of land bearing Survey No. / Khasra No. [XXX], Village [Name], Tehsil [Name], District [Name], State [Name], submit this application under Section 6 of the Right to Information Act, 2005, to seek the following information:

Land acquisition details:
  Survey / Khasra / Plot No.: [XXX]
  Village / Locality: [Name]
  Tehsil / Taluka: [Name]
  District and State: [Name]
  Acquiring Authority / Project Name: [e.g., NHAI NH-48 expansion / Delhi Metro Phase IV / State Industrial Development Corporation]
  Section 4 (Preliminary Notification) Date / Reference: [Date / Notification No., if known]
  Section 19 (Award) Reference No.: [Award No., if known]

Information sought:

1. A copy of the Section 4(1) Preliminary Notification / Section 11 notification issued for acquisition of the above land — including the purpose of acquisition, the name of the acquiring body, and the area of land notified.

2. The basis of the market value determined for the above land under Section 26 of the LARR Act, 2013 — specifically:
   (a) The date and method used for determining market value (sale deed method / average circle rate method / consent award method);
   (b) The reference period for sale deeds used (the last 3 years before the Section 4 notification, as required by Section 26);
   (c) The market value per unit area (per square metre / per bigha / per acre) determined by the Collector;
   (d) The multiplier applied (under Section 28 — 1x to 2x depending on rural/urban classification of land).

3. A copy of the Section 19 Award passed for the above acquisition — including the total compensation determined for Survey No. [XXX], the breakdown into market value, solatium (100% of market value under Section 30), and any other components.

4. Whether a Social Impact Assessment (SIA) study was conducted for this project under Section 4 of the LARR Act — if yes, a copy of the SIA report and the findings of the Expert Group constituted under Section 7.

5. Whether the urgency clause under Section 40 of the LARR Act was invoked for this acquisition — if yes, the specific grounds on which urgency was declared and the approval obtained.

6. The Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) entitlements determined for affected families in this acquisition — including employment, house site, subsistence allowance, and other benefits under the Second Schedule of the LARR Act, and whether the R&R award has been passed separately.

I am enclosing the application fee of Rs. 10 [via online payment; Reference No.: [Payment Ref]].

I request the above information within 30 days as required under Section 7(1) of the RTI Act, 2005.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Full Name]
[Your Complete Address]
Phone: [Your 10-digit Mobile Number]
Email: [[email protected]]
Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Replace all text in [square brackets] with your actual details before filing. Do not include the brackets in your submission.

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