Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Urban district authorities on Friday took possession of five acres of government land estimated to be worth Rs 600 crore that was in the custody of Apollo Hospital at Bilekahalli on Bannerghatta Road.
The authorities handed over the hospital building that exists on the five-acre plot to Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO). Since there are many patients admitted in the Apollo Hospital at present, it has been decided that the hospital would continue to function from the building for another six months before the set-up is handed over to the KMIO.
The district authorities, on March 16, had issued an order directing the Apollo Hospital to vacate the land.
The notice also said that the authorities would be compelled to take possession forcibly in the event of the Hospital failing to vacate. Finally the action was taken on Friday and a board installed on the premises stating that the land belongs to the State government and the building has been handed over to the KMIO.
According to the Assistant Commissioner of the Bengaluru Urban District L C Nagaraj, Dr Syed Nisar, a Hyderabad-based doctor, had submitted a proposal to set up Imperial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in the City.
The land was allotted to him at Bilekahalli in 1991. However, Dr Nisar leased out the land to Apollo Hospital in violation of land grant condition. Five acres was alloted to Dr Nisar at Rs two lakh per acre. The grant conditions restricted Dr Nisar from selling, alienating or leasing out the land. The condition also stipulated that land should be used only for construction of cancer treatment and research hospital.
The Bengaluru Urban district administration in January had placed a proposal with the Revenue department to hand over five acres of land to KMIO.
In Byrathi
The district authorities reclaimed one acre of land in Byrathi village in Bidarahalli Hobli and 12 acres and 36 guntas of lake land in Sulikunte village of Bengaluru East taluk, worth Rs 60 crore. In a similar action, large tract of government land was reclaimed in Anekal Taluk.
