In a significant turn, the Belagavi City Corporation has decided to return the piece of land in Shahapur to its original owners. The land was previously acquired for road construction under the Smart City scheme from the Bank of India to Old PB Road, and a pending case for Rs 20 crore in compensation has taken a new direction. The High Court’s Dharwad Bench, handling a contempt petition on this matter, will hold its next hearing on September 18.
The Corporation has proposed to return the land to its rightful owners instead of paying the hefty compensation.
During a recent hearing, the judge asked the landowners’ lawyers to present their stance on the proposal. They expressed readiness to take back the land along with any compensation due. The court ordered the presence of the Belagavi City Commissioner at the next hearing, where the Corporation is expected to submit an affidavit formalizing its decision.
This development follows public opposition to the Rs 20 crore compensation payout. Social activist Sujit Mulgund, in a press conference, called for the land to be returned to the original owners, a demand that the Corporation has now taken up. A local campaign titled “Save Belagavi Corporation” has also gained traction, pushing for a resolution that avoids costly compensation.
Returning the land would not only avoid the Rs 20 crore payout but also impact other land acquisitions for the same road project. If the court approves the return of the land, the stretch from Bank of India Corner to Old Dharwad Road may be closed.
The Corporation’s legal team highlighted procedural errors in the road’s construction, stating that the road was built without proper intervention or clearance from local authorities or the state government. The High Court sharply criticized the use of private land for public roads without proper acquisition, calling it akin to “robbery.”
At the upcoming hearing, the court will finalize whether the land will indeed be returned, or if compensation will still be required.
Maximum land acquired was not used for construction, hence better to return, but those bids r demolished they must b compensated as at present due to heavy increase is cost it is not possible to construct the blds by owners.
The people wish to know how it all happened in the first place….. As the experience of many goes, the officials otherwise don’t even bother to attend to legitimate issues and grievances
All land owners should be compensated by penalizing officials who were in charge of this project. Public money should be accountable….