The proposed transfer of civil areas and properties under the Belagavi Cantonment Board to the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) has reached a crucial stage, with the state government expected to take up the proposal for Cabinet consideration soon.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan said that a detailed report on the proposed transfer of 756 acres of civil area has been submitted to the government through the Urban Development Department.
The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the properties and infrastructure located within the civil area, including residential buildings, commercial establishments, old and leased bungalows, vacant sites, markets and roads.
The report also contains a detailed financial assessment of the proposed transfer. It examines the revenue that the City Corporation could generate from the properties, the existing revenue deficit and the additional financial burden that would arise from taking over their administration and maintenance.
Officials have also identified the properties proposed for transfer and estimated the revenue they could generate. The proposal, Roshan said, has been prepared after weighing the potential revenue against the expenditure and liabilities that would fall on the Corporation.
The Belagavi Cantonment Board has liabilities of around Rs 350 crore, making the proposed transfer of civil areas to the urban local body an important step in restructuring the administration of these areas.
Roshan said the proposal is likely to be placed before the state Cabinet in the coming week. If approved, it will be forwarded to the Union government, with clearance from the Ministry of Defence required for the final transfer.
He clarified that the proposal concerns the civil areas of the cantonment. Military areas will continue to remain under the jurisdiction of the Defence authorities and function as separate military establishments.
The transfer process has been under consideration for a couple of years as part of the broader proposal to shift the administration of cantonment civil areas to urban local bodies.
A final decision on the transfer of the 756-acre civil area will be taken only after obtaining the required approvals from both the state and Central governments.
Background
The proposal to transfer the civilian areas of the Belagavi Cantonment to the Belagavi City Corporation has been under discussion for several years. In September 2023, the City Corporation had given its approval in principle to the proposal to merge the cantonment’s civil areas with the municipal limits, with the military areas to continue as military stations.
The process gained further momentum in 2024 after the Defence Ministry directed steps towards the abolition of cantonment boards and the transfer of their civil areas to state municipalities. In December 2024, discussions between the district administration, Cantonment Board and Army officials focused on the extent of the area to be transferred, including the demand to include bungalow areas.
In April 2025, the Belagavi City Corporation also passed a resolution supporting the transfer of residential colonies, markets, bungalows and other civic properties. The latest proposal covering 756 acres now moves the process closer to the required state and Central approvals.