We will pay the compensation as per norms and the aggrieved parties can approach the court if they are not satisfied with the payment made following the 2001 guidance value. Compensation can be increased only if the court orders.— MUDA Chairman

The long-pending issue of Vijayashreepura Layout has reached an amicable settlement, bringing a major relief to the residents who have been trying to save their houses from demolition.

Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, who had petitioned the Supreme Court against land acquisition by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), has now agreed to withdraw his petition in the interests of Vijayashreepura residents. Following his petition, the Supreme Court had observed that the residents were encroachers and had ordered the demolition of their houses.

Announcing this at a joint press conference this morning, MUDA Chairman D. Dhruvakumar and Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs said that the solution to the problem was reached at a meeting with Chief Minister Siddharamaiah at his Ramakrishnanagar residence in city this morning. The meeting was attended by Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, Dhruvakumar and MUDA officials.

According to the solution reached at the meeting, Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, son of Sirdar K.B. Ramachandra Raje Urs will withdraw his petition in the Supreme Court and accept the compensation provided by MUDA.

Dhruvakumar told reporters that the MUDA will pay the compensation to Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs and his family as per the 2001 guidance value and as per Section 180 of Karnataka Land Acquisition Act 1961. Along with the compensation, interest amount and “solatium” will be paid as per the rules. Seconding Dhruvakumar, Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs said that he would withdraw the petition in the SC.

“We will pay the compensation as per norms and the aggrieved parties can approach the court if they are not satisfied with the payment made following the 2001 guidance value. Compensation can be increased  only if the court orders,” Dhruvakumar said.

The land extends up to 94.28 acres and comes under Survey No. 1. It is owned by K.B. Ramachandra Raje Urs, son-in-law of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. The property was later inherited by Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs and his sisters Tripurasundari Devi, Deepamalini Devi and Keerthimalini Devi. Ramachandra Raje Urs had divided the property into five parts and distributed among his children and kept one part to himself. Later Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs divided his share of property among his children Devrath Urs and Jayalakshmi.

The then City Improvement Trust Board (now MUDA) acquired the 94.28-acre land abutting Manasagangothri, the PG campus of University of Mysore in 1984-85 (final acquisition in 1988) which was questioned in the court by Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs and his family as MUDA failed to pay compensation.

Later, MUDA allotted 15 acres to JSS Mahavidyapeeta. Out of the remaining 79.28 acres, 23.5 acres was developed as Vijayashreepura Layout. There are a total of 184 concrete houses, 80 houses with asbestos sheets, 8 houses with Mangaluru tiles, 2 temples, and 65 vacant sites in the layout.

Hearing the petition filed by Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, the Apex Court, on December 16, 2015, had ruled against the acquisition of the land by MUDA and had set a deadline of six months and following MUDA appeal in June 2016, stating that it needed more time, the court had extended it by three more months. If MUDA did not demolish the houses by Sept. 15, 2016, it would be a violation of court order, the SC had stated.

The Supreme Court had also later provided a concession to JSS Mahavidyapeeta as it was an educational institution and the same yardstick could not be applied to the Vijayashreepura residents.

Regarding the Vijayashreepura Layout, the Supreme Court had asked the Karnataka High Court to adjudicate the issues as there were several petitions filed by Vijayashreepura Kshemabhivruddhi Sangha. The petitions are still pending before the High Court.