BSNL told to cancel e-auction of land abutting NH 66 in Mangaluru

The e-auction notice posted by BSNL Dakshina Kannada telecom district in front of one of the two properties, at Kadri in Mangaluru.

Dakshina Kannada district administration has directed the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Dakshina Kannada telecom district, to cancel e-auction proceedings of two plots abutting NH 66 in Kadri, Mangaluru.

In his February 14 order, Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar told BSNL that 2.84 acre in Survey No. 57/1A2 and 1.97 acre in Survey No. 57/B in Kadri B village are government land. They were acquired by the then Assistant Commissioner on September 19, 1967 for the Telecom Department.

Basing his order on a representation by Kadri Park Development Committee Member G.K. Bhat, the DC said the Record of Tenancy Rights (RTC) of the plots mention ‘government’ in column 6 in 1968-69. RTCs of 2000-01 mentions ‘government’ in column 9, ‘government poramboku road’ in column 6, and ‘wireless department’ in column 11. Digitised versions of the RTCs mention ‘government’ in column 9, and ‘reserved for BSNL’ in column 12, Mr. Kumar said.

The DC learnt that BSNL proposes to sell these plots through e-auction. “The plots are government (State) property, and there is no provision to sell those to private parties,” Mr. Kumar said, directing BNSL to withdraw the e-auction process.

Mr. Bhat told The Hindu that the properties were given by the State government to the then Telecom Department, now BSNL, to provide telephone and allied services. The company could not sell such land, he said adding many other prominent citizens, including architect Venkatesh Pai, had petitioned the government against BSNL’s move.

The land parcels are in a prime location abutting the National Highway, and selling government land would cause irreparable loss to the general public. The land should be used for public purpose alone, he demanded.

Giving another instance of diverting government-allotted land for commercial purposes, Mr. Bhat said the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation recently leased out 1 acre in Bendurwell to a private agency. In this case, it was lease of land for 30 years, and not outright sale, he added.

The activist demanded a legislation prohibiting sale of government-allotted land to private parties.