60 years later, Maharashtra forms SIT to probe 174-acre government land transfer

The Maharashtra Revenue department has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the transfer of 174 acres of government-owned cattle grazing land in Thane’s Kalyan area and the transactions that followed over the past six decades.

The land was transferred to Premier Automobiles Ltd in the early 1960s when the company was looking to expand its manufacturing operations. The SIT will now examine how the government land was allotted to the company and how different portions later changed hands.

The inquiry was ordered after complaints concerning government-owned Gurcharan land in several villages of Kalyan taluka were discussed at a meeting chaired by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankhule on August 19.

SIT to examine land records and transfers

The nine-member team will be headed by the Konkan Divisional Commissioner. It includes the Thane district collector, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Commissioner, Thane Zilla Parishad CEO and a representative of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), among others.

The team has been given 30 days to look into five key areas. These include the original status and transfer of the land, conversion of parcels from Class II to Class I, the validity of 7/12 extracts and mutation entries, subsequent sales to third parties and whether action should be recommended against those found responsible.

The SIT has been directed to examine the relevant documents and records of rights before submitting a detailed report with its findings and recommendations.

Land passed to developers and public bodies

Premier Automobiles used its Kalyan facility for sheet-metal stamping and as a feeder unit for its Kurla plant. The company later faced financial and labour-related difficulties. After production of the Premier Padmini ended in 1997, it introduced the Rio, but the model failed to turn around its fortunes.

Premier eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and later began monetising its land holdings.

Over the years, several portions of the 174-acre parcel were transferred to developers and other entities. Runwal's Horizon Projects holds 58 acres, while Lodha has 52 acres and Sundarniwas Developers has 41 acres.

Railway, electricity board also hold land

Indian Railways and the Maharashtra State Electricity Board each have six acres from the larger parcel.

Other parts of the land are occupied by a Zilla Parishad school, a public crematorium, the state water supply department, Sakharam Shet Vidyalaya, Jupiter Hospital and Out N Out Infotech.

The SIT's investigation comes more than 60 years after the original transfer and will determine whether the subsequent changes in ownership and land records followed the applicable rules.