The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the state government to file an updated affidavit on the status of eviction proceedings and pending civil suits concerning the alleged encroachment of a prime six-acre police property in Ludhiana.
Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), the court asked the state counsel to place on record the latest developments in the case. The matter has been listed for April 23, 2026. The court also took on record a rejoinder filed by the petitioner in response to a reply by one of the respondents and directed the registry to tag it appropriately before disposing of the application.
The case relates to a parcel of land, estimated to be worth around ₹100 crore, located opposite the Ludhiana railway station. The land, once used as police residential quarters and stables, was vacated in the early 1950s after the department shifted to Civil Lines. Since then, it has allegedly been encroached upon by various individuals, including influential persons.
In an affidavit submitted in May 2024, the police department stated that an old map prepared by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the erstwhile police lines carries a presumption of truth and establishes the land as government property, thereby qualifying as public premises. The affidavit added that once a fresh map is prepared by the Commissionerate Police, Ludhiana, all encroachments would be identified and action initiated under the Punjab Public Premises Act, 1971.
{{/usCountry}}In an affidavit submitted in May 2024, the police department stated that an old map prepared by the Public Works Department (PWD) of the erstwhile police lines carries a presumption of truth and establishes the land as government property, thereby qualifying as public premises. The affidavit added that once a fresh map is prepared by the Commissionerate Police, Ludhiana, all encroachments would be identified and action initiated under the Punjab Public Premises Act, 1971.
{{/usCountry}}The PIL was filed in 2019 by hosiery businessman Subhash Kundra alias Ketty, alleging inaction by authorities despite repeated complaints. An earlier inquiry by the sub-divisional magistrate (East) had noted that the land falls within the ‘red line’ category, with no clear ownership records in revenue documents.
The petitioner has maintained that the land should either be restored to the police department or taken over by the government for public welfare projects, while raising concerns over alleged inaction and misuse of a key urban asset.