Nagpur : After a 30-year long chequered legal battle which came to an end before the Supreme Court, the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) received a prime 20.61 acre land at Wathoda. The land was part of 44.61 acre plot acquired for drainage and sewerage scheme way back on November 27, 1953. Now, the NIT is planning to use this huge tract for affordable housing project.
Later this land turned out to be surplus and NIT decided to return it to original land owner Sheela Tikhe in 1968 on payment of premium. However, only 24 acre land was returned since land owner had failed to deposit the prescribed amount. This led to a bitter litigation between land owner and trust and travelled from civil court right upto Apex Court which ruled in favour of NIT and upheld legality of its action. The land, once barren fetching very little price, now has become a preferred destination of East Nagpur and commands premium.
The NIT had acquired entire stretch of 44.61 acre for its Drainage and Sewerage Scheme PartII. The award was passed on December 31, 1962 and NIT took possession after disbursing compensation of Rs.23,500. Since, the land was not required, the NIT the exercising its powers under Land Disposal Rules, 1955, decided to dispose of entire land to Tikhe by charging the premium and ground rent. The NIT invited application for re-allotment of 44.61 acre land on lease and original land-owner filed an application on September 3, 1975. However, she objected to pay 1.5 times of the amount received under land acquisition and revise the amount. Besides, there was a stipulation to use entire land only for Agriculture purposes and entire amount was to be paid in 10 installments.
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