State govt begins survey of 50 enemy properties

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has begun a survey of about 50 ‘enemy properties’ as part of a survey and settlement drive undertaken by the central government

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has begun a survey of about 50 ‘enemy properties’ as part of a survey and settlement drive undertaken by the central government.

HT Image

Though most of the enemy properties (originally owned by people who migrated to Pakistan after the Indo-Pak war in 1965,) that are in the form of buildings, land, houses are stuck in litigation, the state government has been directed to clear encroachments on the said properties and initiate action against the defaulters.

Directing the state government to expedite the survey, the central government has provided a list of properties to the state revenue department with a directive of verifying their status and notify them as enemy property. Most of the enemy properties are in Mumbai and Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

“The evacuee properties were the ones owned by the people migrated during the partition of the country. The properties left behind by the migrants were given to the people displaced due to the migration from Pakistan in the proportion of the immovable property they held. They were later given the ownership of the properties after verification of the properties they owned in Pakistan,” said an officer from the revenue department.

The officer said that barring a few enemy properties in rural areas, the prime properties in Mumbai and Thane are engaged in litigation. A few buildings as well as a couple of theatres in Mumbai and Thane are part of these properties.

“The Jinnah House in South Mumbai is an evacuee property and the central government deals with these types of properties as well enemy properties. District collectors are the custodians of these sites. Local relatives of the owners of the properties have staked their claims through power of attorney and sale deeds. The central government has however taken a different stand and asked the custodian of the enemy properties to take action against defaulters,” a revenue department official added.

“We review these properties from time to time. Such properties are spread across the state, including Mumbai, Aurangabad and Thane. These are owned by the central government. There are encroachments on some of the properties. The local authorities have been directed to remove it. The call on the further course of action related to these properties has to be taken by the centre,” said Nitin Kareer, additional chief secretary, revenue department.