The Coimbatore district administration, on Sunday, took possession of a land measuring 9,000 square feet on Trichy Road that had been under the encroachment of an agency, Srinivi Agencies, for over 50 years.
According to sources, the administration served notice on the owners of the agency on January 31 asking them to furnish proof to substantiate their claim that they had taken the land on lease.
As they failed to produce the lease deed by the deadline on February 15, the administration officials approached the City Police Commissioner for help and took possession of the land, which was estimated to have a market value of Rs. 20 crore.
The agency had helped establish a fuel outlet there and also rented out a portion of the premises to a bank for establishing an ATM centre. And from the two, the agency owners were drawing a fat sum in monthly rent. Soon after taking possession of the land, the administration officials established an office there to house the Revenue Inspector, Anuparpalayam. Soon, the administration would build houses for tahsildars.
For, it was something the Government had been planning for quite sometime, the sources said and pointed out that the Government had, in fact, issued a government order in this regard.
The sources added that the administration had also lodged a complaint with the City Police Commissioner for action against the owners of the agency for grabbing government land.
It had also issued competitive rent proceedings to collect the dues as the agency owners had enjoyed rent for a government land.
