By S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors · Published 30 January 2026 · Informational content, not legal advice
About this article: A general explainer prepared by S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors on a recurring type of dispute. It does not report a specific judgment or order, names no parties and gives no case citation, so it should not be cited as authority. Law and practice change; please verify against the current statute and primary sources before relying on it.
Cross-country pipelines are usually laid under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipelines (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962. The Act does not transfer ownership of the land. It acquires a right of user, which allows the operator to lay, inspect and maintain the pipeline, while the landowner remains the owner and can continue to use the land subject to restrictions, such as bars on constructing structures or planting deep-rooted trees over the strip.
The Act provides for compensation, and the heads can differ. They commonly include compensation for the right of user itself, for damage to crops and other losses during construction, and, as the Act provides, for any diminution in the value of the land or restriction on its use. Landowners and operators have disputed whether one payment covers all of these, and the answer depends on the provisions of the Act, the rules and notifications that apply and the facts. Disputes about the amount are determined under the Act's own machinery, with provision for referral to the District Judge.
Similar questions arise with transmission lines and other linear infrastructure, which are governed by their own statutes, so the applicable law should be checked in each case.