State to acquire land of erstwhile royals

What is interesting here is that it is not the VMC that has initiated the process of land acquisition but the Revenue Department that took the initiative for faster implementation of the Lalbaugh ROB project and issued instruction for the quick disposal of the case. The Vadodara district deputy collector has been specially appointed to deal with the case.

“We had been compromising with our projects just because the royal family was not ready to give an inch of land for public benefit. We had to construct the Vishwamitri Bridge because of this,which is actually a faulty design. Not less than 50 vehicles have jumped off the bridge and fallen on the railway tracks below. We had also demanded land to develop a major road connecting Dandia Bazaar and Akota to ease traffic in the station area,which was again denied. The proposal to construct a closed storm water channel through the Navlakhi compound was denied as well. It is surprising that the heirs of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad,who had gifted so many things to this city,are not even ready to compromise a little,” said a VMC official refusing to be named.

Incidentally,a legal battle is already on in the Gujarat High Court between the Gaekwad scions,Ranjitsinh Gaekdwad and younger brother Sangramsinh Gaekwad and sister Mrunalini Devi Puar,over inheritance of the land.

“It is true that the Revenue Department has issued this notification on September 20 that prevents any action including sale,lease or change in the names. These will not be accepted without the permission of the district collector. We will be acquiring the land from Lalbaugh crossing to Vishwamitri Bridge and on the other side from Lalbaugh crossing to Rajmahal for the ROB construction,” said M M Parnami,Land and Estate Department (Land acquisition and administration).