Belagavi
The Belagavi Urban Development Authority (BUDA) has encountered another setback in the High Court regarding the use of 29 acres of land in the Kanabargi area for a residential scheme. A total of 160 acres was notified for the project in 2007, but the plan has been stalled for 17 years due to legal disputes with farmers owning the 29 acres.
These farmers have constructed residential buildings on the disputed land and are unwilling to give them up. The High Court previously ruled in favor of the farmers, and BUDA’s appeal to a double bench was unsuccessful. The BUDA Commissioner stated that the authority is considering whether to appeal this ruling.
Meanwhile, farmers of the remaining 131 acres have agreed to the residential project and are pushing BUDA to proceed. These farmers have consented to a 50:50 share of the developed land. In response to their pressure, BUDA has called for tenders to develop the acquired land after obtaining permission from the urban development department.
The Commissioner clarified that there is no need to cancel the tender, as it pertains only to the 131 acres, which are already under BUDA’s control. As a result, there are currently no obstacles to the project’s implementation. BUDA is facing significant pressure to develop residential layouts, as it has not done so in the last two decades, contributing to rising land rates in the city.
