The Belgaum Cantonment Residents Welfare Association (BCRWA) has put forward a bold proposal urging authorities to relocate the Belagavi Deputy Commissioner’s Office to the 101-acre abandoned Military Dairy Farmland near the heart of the city instead of shifting it to far-flung areas like Kanbargi, Suvarna Vidhan Soudha, or Hindalga. DC Mohamad Roshan later clarified that the new DC office will be at the same place, but the old structures won’t be touched.
The present Belgavi’s Deputy Commissioner’s office, laid out from the 1th April 1835 onwards by Mr Ravenscroft, Belgaum’s first Collector, has now, after some 190 years, become dysfunctional. Yet we must remember that when it was constructed, in 1835,
Following a site inspection on April 1st by district officials to identify potential locations for the new DC office, three sites were shortlisted. However, BCRWA argues that all three are unsuitable due to their distance from the city centre and lack of accessibility for the general public.
In a detailed statement, BCRWA emphasized the importance of visionary planning that prioritizes long-term public convenience over short-term gains like cheaper land. “Just imagine the inconvenience to hundreds of people every day for the next 100 years if they have to travel miles away from the city for basic administrative work,” the statement reads.
For public infrastructure projects, this land can be purchased, or exchanged by State Government land under the Equal Value Infrastructure Scheme. Near the new Police Commissionerate (at Cantonment Boundary Pillar no. 3), lies the abandoned Military Dairy Farm covering 101.20 acres (please see Annexure D).
From the Cantonment Boundary Pillar no. 4 at the corner of Belgaum Club to Gandhi Circle there are also vast pockets of empty land, on what was formerly known as Haystacks Hill, which could also be considered for locating various offices.
BCRWA has recommended that an impressive, entirely ‘Green’, (generating electricity from the sun) complex of Government offices can be located here. We have suggested that well laid out tree-lined avenues, parking plazas, a large ground for public demonstrations with a permanent stage, rest rooms etc. be planned at this Secretariat site.
Various government offices – like the Tahshildar’s office, the Land Records office, the Belgavi Smart City office, Buda office, City Corporation office which are now scattered in various parts of the city, can be re-located here, forming a one stop Government Secretariat Complex.
Instead, BCRWA proposes repurposing the 101.2 acres of centrally located abandoned military land—recently identified for excision from the Belgaum Cantonment. This land spans from the Union Gymkhana to Shaurya Circle and includes the old Military Dairy Farm, quarters, slaughterhouse, and adjacent areas.
The association claims the Defence Ministry is already considering their ‘Belgaum Cantonment Excision Plan,’ and the handover could materialize in the coming months. A table with survey numbers and respective land areas has also been submitted to support the proposal.
Highlights of BCRWA’s Proposal:
- Centrally Located: The proposed site is within walking distance for many city residents, making it far more accessible than remote options.
- Ample Space and Utilities: The land boasts over 100 acres of open area, five perennial wells, and proximity to the new Police Commissionerate.
- Sustainable Vision: BCRWA envisions India’s first fully “Green District Secretariat”—solar-powered buildings, rainwater harvesting, tree-lined avenues, and energy-efficient layouts.
- Unified Government Hub: Offices currently scattered across the city—like the Tahsildar’s office, Land Records, BUDA, City Corporation, and Smart City office—can be co-located in a single, citizen-friendly campus.
- Heritage and Civic Planning: The plan includes a public demonstration ground, parking plazas, restrooms, and a memorial honoring Belagavi’s freedom fighter Bhaskar Rao Bhave, who was hanged at the site in 1858.
BCRWA believes such a shift will not only ease public access to government services but also serve as a model of inclusive, environment-friendly urban planning aligned with India’s “Viksit Bharat” vision.
“We need to think big, think long-term, and above all, think about the people,” concluded the BCRWA statement.