Encroached PDKV land still enjoying power, water supply? Nagpur residents questions official inaction

Nagpur: Serious questions are being raised over the functioning of Government agencies after several commercial establishments allegedly operating on encroached land belonging to Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) in Nagpur continue to receive uninterrupted electricity and water supply despite long-standing disputes over illegal occupation.

The controversy has triggered anger among residents of Bajaj Nagar and East Shankar Nagar, who have accused authorities of turning a blind eye to blatant encroachments while allowing restaurants and other commercial establishments to operate freely for years on disputed land.

Locals have now questioned the role of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), asking how such establishments managed to secure and retain essential civic services despite repeated concerns regarding the legal status of the land.

“Large portions of PDKV land are officially marked as encroached. Then how are commercial establishments still enjoying electricity and water supply without interruption?” residents questioned.

The issue has exposed glaring loopholes in verification and enforcement mechanisms of civic agencies.

As per prevailing rules, obtaining a new electricity connection requires documentary proof of legal ownership or authorised occupancy, including occupancy certificates, land records such as Form 7/12 extracts, property tax receipts or registered lease agreements. Even in slum areas, authorities generally require affidavits or supporting declarations where formal ownership papers are unavailable.

Despite these requirements, residents allege that several establishments on disputed PDKV land have continued commercial operations without any visible enforcement action.

A senior MSEDCL official admitted that the matter would require scrutiny of old records to determine on what basis the electricity connections were originally granted.

“These are legacy connections. We will have to examine what documents were submitted at that time,” the official said.

The explanation, however, has failed to satisfy residents, who argue that authorities cannot escape accountability by citing old records while illegal occupation allegedly continues openly.

Questions are also being raised over the Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s handling of water supply connections in the area.

A senior NMC official claimed that no fresh water connections or approvals had been issued after 2009 following communication received from PDKV regarding the disputed land. However, residents argue that merely halting new approvals does not absolve authorities of responsibility.

“If the land was officially identified as encroached years ago, why were existing commercial connections not disconnected? Why were illegal establishments allowed to flourish using Government resources?” residents asked angrily.

The controversy has once again highlighted the alleged nexus of administrative negligence, weak enforcement and selective action in cases involving high-value urban land encroachments.

Citizens and local activists are now demanding a thorough investigation into how commercial establishments continued receiving civic amenities for years despite serious questions over legality and whether officials ignored violations deliberately or due to administrative apathy.

The issue is also expected to intensify pressure on civic and power authorities to clarify whether public resources were knowingly supplied to allegedly unauthorised constructions operating on disputed Government land.

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