High-rise buildings on government land in Ellora

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

A complaint has been filed with the District Collector regarding the construction of high-rise buildings, restaurants, hotels, and lodges on government-owned land bearing Survey No. 298 in Ellora (Khuldabad tehsil). The land parcels from Gut Nos. 680 to 690 were originally classified as Class II inam (gift) and government land, but they were allegedly converted to Class I, enabling private ownership and construction. This incident has come to light amid an ongoing investigation into land conversions that took place during the tenure of suspended deputy collector Vinod Khirolkar, who is already under scrutiny for illegally converting Class II lands to Class I.

According to documents, the land in Ellora is recorded as Class II, but the 7/12 extracts falsely show them as Class I. In Survey No. 298, particularly Gut No. 690, government ownership is clearly recorded in various official documents. Form 6 Lavani Patrak (Allotment Register): States "Government under watch." Ferfar Register (Mutation Register): Shows government ownership in both "possessor" and "owner" columns. Khasra documents and Survey No. 1368 inspection record: Mention government ownership. Form 6 further notes that land was allotted to the needy for usage, in small 4-anna shares, indicating welfare-based temporary usage, not sale or ownership, stated the complaint filed by Nagaraj Gaikwad, city president of Republican Party of India (RPI). In response, Resident Deputy Collector Pravin Phulari confirmed that a formal investigation will be conducted.

50 pc of Khirolkar land conversion probe completed

A separate, detailed investigation is ongoing into all Class II to Class I land conversions that were approved during the tenure of suspended officer Vinod Khirolkar. As of now, about 50 per cent of the cases have been reviewed, and a final report is expected soon.

As reported earlier, on May 27, Khirolkar and revenue assistant Deepak Tribhuvan were arrested for accepting a bribe in connection with converting Class II land in Tisgaon to Class I. Following this, a full investigation was ordered into all such land conversions during Khirolkar’s term. The probe is being conducted by Additional District Collector Sambhaji Adakune and a special committee.