BANGALORE: In the year 1950, a part of military area in Devaravevanahalli, was used as a path, for buses to pass through. However, by the year 1955, due to some maintenance work the road was blocked and since then, the military has taken over the land and a section of the land was blocked by the defence authorities which is causing great inconvenience to the residents of the area, and who wish to move to J C Nagar and Kaval Byrasandra.
Corporator Sampath Raj said, “For the last 25 years, the people have not been able to use this road. The Modi Gardens Residents’ Association in Bangalore approached the High Court and the verdict has been passed to allow the residents of Modi Garden to get access from JC Nagar to Modi Garden with immediate affect.” Deputy Mayor Harish, Opposition leader Nanjundasw asmy, MLA Prasanna Kumar, Opposition leader Udaya Shankar and Ward Corporator, R Sampath Raj along with Modi Garden residents, inaugurated the Military Road on February 23. The verdict came out on Thursday.
Earlier, a petition was filed by the local administration which was rejected.
Later, a petition was again filed in 2003 by A R Suresh and others.
A portion of land was opened later, through an interim order of the court in the same year.
However, finally joy prevailed among the residents as they won the case on the contention that the local residents had been using the road for over 40 years.
Another contention was under the Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, the military did not have a right to take over public roads, which came under the purview of the state government.Petitioner Suresh said, “It was difficult for children to go to schools as the military took a lot of time to complete the formalities of checking.
I am waiting for the full copy of the order of the court to come into our hands.” Corporator R Sampath Raj said, “After I was elected, I had presented this issue in the council more than 10 times.
I have tried to settle the issue through mutual discussion with the Defence Ministry, but in vain. Even the BBMP Commissioner Shankarlinge Gowda has visited the spot on many occasions and wrote letters to the Ministry of Defence.” He added, “The defendant has tired to mislead the court with different tactics. However, they could not succeed.”