(1) Every railway shall be made only under the authority of a special Act which shall state as nearly as may be the line of the railway and the 2 termini thereof; but it shall be lawful to deviate from such line at a distance of 1.6 kilometres on either side thereof, or such other distance as may be provided in any special Act.

(2) Before the second reading of the special Act in the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly respectively, the Minister shall cause a map, to be referred to in the special Act, showing the course to be taken by, and the middle line of, the railway, to be laid upon the table of the House.

(3) On the passing of the Act, the map, signed for the purpose of identification by the Clerk of the Parliaments, shall be deposited by him in the Central Office of the Supreme Court, and shall be open to public inspection at any reasonable hour free of charge, and shall be admitted in all Courts for all purposes as evidence of the line authorised by the special Act.

[Section 96 amended by No. 94 of 1972 s. 4 (as amended by No. 19 of 1973 s. 3); No. 67 of 1979 s. 38.]