Gurugram MC loses claim over land following court’s judgment

The Gurugram district court,on Monday, dismissed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram’s (MCG) claim over 464 acres of disputed land in Gwal Pahari, and declared villagers, farmhouse owners, and private developers who bought the land from the local panchayat as the rightful owners.

The court, presided by Prashant Rana, civil judge (senior division), nullified the MCG’s eviction notices sent to villagers, farmhouse owners, and private developers.

The court also declared any land occupied by the MCG in the area as illegally occupied, and if trespassed upon, could lead to legal action being initiated against MCG officials.

The court also directed the MCG to pay compensation if any damages were caused to the properties concerned.

“The defendants (MCG) are hereby perpetually restrained, from interfering in any matter, in the peaceful, ownership, possession, construction and the use of the suit lands by the plaintiffs (villagers, farmhouse owners, and private developers),” an excerpt of the order read.

For residents fighting against the MCG, the district court order came as a major relief.

“We have continued to state that the land at Gwal Pahari belongs to the panchayat and that the MCG has no claim over it. Despite their attempts in the past for carrying out evictions or demolition drives, we have resisted or approached the court and got the matter resolved. The district court’s order is further testament that the MCG has no business claiming that the land belongs to it,” Ramesh Tanwar, a resident of Gwal Pahari, said.

The local panchayat across all villages in Gurugram was disbanded after the MCG was formed in 2008.

The MCG had claimed that the land rights of the 464 acres belonged to them and panchayati land was no longer consequential. The villagers, farmhouse owners, and private developers had opposed that stating that they had purchased the land prior to the MCG’s formation.

“We will challenge it (the court’s order) and file an appeal within a week. We received the copy of order today (Tuesday) and are getting it examined,” MCG commissioner Yashpal Yadav said.