21Power to prohibit or regulate construction of buildings and excavation

(1) If the Central Government is of opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do for facilitating the construction of any metro railway or for ensuring the safety of any metro railway, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette,--

(a) direct that no building or any such development as may be specified in the notification shall be constructed or made above the metro alignment or on any land within such distance, not exceeding ¹[twenty metres] on either side of the metro alignment, as may be specified in the notification and where there is any building on such land also direct the owner of, or the person having control over, such building to demolish such building or to make such additions or alterations to such building as may be specified in the notification or to desist from making any such development and within such period as may be specified in the notification;

(b) direct temporary evacuation of all persons together with any movable property or animal that may be in the custody, control or possession of such persons from any building situated above the metro alignment or in any area within a distance not exceeding twenty metres on either side of such alignment and within such period as may be specified in the notification:

Provided that before issuing any notification under this clause, the Central Government shall provide every such person temporarily with alternative accommodation, which in its opinion is suitable, free of cost, or an amount, which in its opinion is sufficient, to procure a temporary alternative accommodation.

(2) Where any property is needed or likely to be needed for providing any alternative accommodation under the proviso to clause (b) of sub-section (1), such property shall be deemed to be needed for a public purpose under section 3 of the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property Act, 1952 (30 of 1952), and the competent authority under that Act shall requisition the property in accordance with the provisions of that Act and such provisions shall, in relation to such requisition, apply accordingly.

(3) In specifying the distance under clause (a) of sub-section (1), the Central Government shall have regard to--

(a) the nature and the requirement of the metro railway;

(b) the safety of the building;

(c) such other matters as may be prescribed.

(4) Where any notification has been issued under sub-section (1) directing the owner or the person having control over any building to demolish such building or to make additions or alterations to such building or to desist from making any development specified in such notification, a copy of the notification containing such direction shall be served on the owner of, or the person having control over, such building, as the case may be,--

(i) by delivering or tendering it to such owner or person; or

(ii) if it cannot be delivered or tendered, by delivering or tendering it to the agent of such owner or person or any adult male member of the family of such owner or person or by affixing a copy thereof on the outer door or on some conspicuous part of the premises in which such owner or person is known to have last resided or carried on business or personally worked for gain; or failing service by these means;

(iii) by post.

(5) Every person shall be bound to comply with any direction contained in any notification issued under sub-section (1).