Adarsh land belonged to Maha govt: army report

An army inquiry has indicated the land on which the Adarsh Housing Society stands belonged to the Maharashtra government although defence authorities were in possession of the plot before handing it over to the society, a judicial panel has been informed.

An inquiry report was submitted by the army officials to the two-member Adarsh Commission of Inquiry last week, a copy of which was made available today.

The Chief of Army Staff had ordered an independent inquiry as various reports were appearing in the media that were "maligning" its image. The inquiry officer had even visited Mumbai's city survey and land record department and got various details including the property cards.

According to the report, the status of Adarsh land at Colaba is related to land reclamation at the area, and in 1796 island of Colaba was declared as military area and entry of civilian population was prohibited.

It said that in 1860 Backbay Reclamation Company was formed to reclaim the whole of Backbay. The company in 1926 reclaimed 439.6 acres of land out of which 234.8 were purchased by the military.

The report said that in 1956 the state government had proposed transfer of 41.8 acres of defence land at Santacruz for (construction) of Western Express Highway and for rehabilitation of slums. In exchange the government agreed to give land at Block VI of Bombay Government Land to the military.

However valuation of land never reached its logical conclusion, it said.