Mysore/Mysuru: Continuing its drive against encroachment of its lands, the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) in an early morning operation on Wednesday, reclaimed 6 acres and 13 guntas of encroached land coming under Hinkal Sy. No. 264 and adjacent to a park in Vijayanagar 3rd Stage.

MUDA officials said that the Authority had issued final notification on Mar. 29,1984 for acquisition of the said 6 acre and 13 guntas of land for formation of Vijayanagar Layout. At the time of  land acquisition, the Revenue Department had classified the land as ‘Beelu’ meaning uncultivable land.

But one Javara Nayaka took to farming on this land, following which some residents of Vijayanagar 3rd Stage moved the Court, seeking a direction on usage of land only for the purpose which it was acquired by the Authority.

Following a Court order and also as the land acquisition process was complete with the MUDA paying the award amount of Rs. 98,670 to the Government, the authorities carried out the operation and took possession of the land by  clearing the encroachments and also evicting the illegal occupants of the land, the current value of which is estimated at Rs. 120 crore.

The operation was carried out under instructions from MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev under the guidance of MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh. MUDA SE Shankar, EEs Sunil Kumar and Mohan, AEEs C. Kiran, K.R. Mahesh, Bhaskar, Ravishankar, Nagesh, H.P. Shivanna and Raghavendra, Special Land Acquisition Officer Harshavardhan and other officials supervised the operation.

Petty shops cleared: In another operation,  MUDA evacuated more than 20 illegal petty shops along the Ring Road on the stretch from Hinkal to Bogadi.

These petty shops had come up along the Ring Road as well as on the service road illegally,  hindering  pedestrian and vehicular movement.

Following several complaints from public, MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh had ordered clearing of these illegal shops, following which the authorities pulled down the shops and made way for smooth vehicular and pedestrian movement.