HC: Unbelievably, Brahmapuri report and map made in a day

The Bombay high court has found that on the Kolhapur district collector’s direction a report and map were prepared in May 2018 to show an archaeological site to be over 100 metres away from its location so that the under-construction new Shivaji bridge on the Panchganga fell outside the no-construction zone.

- Swati.Deshpande

The high court has directed a fresh survey within four weeks after a notice is issued to the landowners.

“Merely because the construction of the new bridge is in public interest, it gives no right to the government or the statutory authorities to declare the private land of a citizen as an ancient monument site, and thereby jeopardise the right of such private land holder,’’ said a bench of Justice S J Kathawalla and Justice Milind Jadhav on January 12.