Urban development department has ordered the Belgaum Urban Development Authority(BUDA) to declare the building (CTS No-3553 B) on Vivekananda Marg (Risaldar Galli) a heritage one under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act-1961.
From October 15 to 18, 1892 that Swami Vivekananda was in Belgaum and had visited this place in Risaldar Galli (Now Swami Vivekananda Marg) where he even gave some lectures. Part of the building is already preserved by the RamKrishna Mission Ashrama and the part which belongs to Vidyadhar Belvi which does not house the room where Swamiji; was to be sold.
The late Dattopant Belvi , freedom fighter and advocate and a personal friend of Balgangadhar Tilak, who bought the property from Mr Bhate. All the VIPs who came visiting did not visit this house because it was an ashram (it wasn’t an ashram then, it was Mr Belvi’s residence), but they came there to confer with Mr Belvi, the Congressman. Moreover, half the house (about 3000 sq feet or so) has already been donated to the ashram by the Belvi family. A large portion (3000 sq feet) has already been preserved as an ashram for the last so many years. The controversy is about the area just adjacent to the ashram, that Mr Vidyadhar Belvi is using for the last so many years as his residence and where he still resides.
Source: TOI & Inputs