Indore High Court slams delays in land rights for displaced Sardar Sarovar families
The Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has criticised delays in registering land allotments for families displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Project. The court's frustration came during a hearing of a petition filed by social activist Medha Patkar, who is representing affected households. These families, resettled decades ago, still lack proper legal ownership due to unregistered plots.
Around 41,000 families were displaced from Dhar, Barwani, Khargone, and Alirajpur districts between 1994 and 2017 because of the Sardar Sarovar Project. Although allotment letters were issued in 2002, the land was never formally registered, blocking mutation, demarcation, and legal transactions like sales or loans.
The court had previously ordered collectors in the four districts to form committees and complete registration, mutation, and record corrections. Despite this, progress has been slow, prompting the court to warn of future civil and revenue disputes without proper documentation.
On February 3, 2026, authorities finally framed a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the registration process, which may still take another six months. The court summoned Dr. Rajesh Rajora, additional chief secretary, to explain the delays. He has been directed to appear on February 26, 2026, to address the slow survey work and other pending rehabilitation issues.
The petition demands registration of house plots without fees or stamp duty, in line with the Narmada rehabilitation policy. Without this, displaced families remain unable to fully secure their land rights.
The court's intervention aims to resolve long-standing issues for displaced families who have waited over two decades for legal recognition. The next hearing on February 26, 2026, will determine whether authorities have taken sufficient steps to complete the registration process and address remaining rehabilitation concerns.
