Davanagere : In a major eviction drive, the Davanagere City Municipal Corporation on Friday demolished 36 houses built illegally on land reserved for a public park in the city’s Ramnagar Industrial Area.
According to officials, residents had been living on the park land since around 2013–14. In 2018, a local citizen filed a petition in court, alleging that the site was designated for a public park but had been illegally encroached upon by private individuals who constructed houses. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court ruled that the constructions were indeed illegal and directed the Tahsildar to clear the encroachments immediately.
Following the court order, Davanagere Tahsildar Dr. Ashwath issued eviction notices to the residents. However, despite repeated warnings, the occupants failed to vacate. Acting on the court’s directive, officials launched an eviction operation early Friday morning with tight police security.
As the demolition team, including municipal officers and police personnel, arrived on site, residents pleaded for a few more days to vacate their homes. Some protested and attempted to block JCB vehicles from entering the area. Former municipal member Pamenahalli Nagaraj even tried to intervene by appealing to the officials to halt the operation. However, the eviction continued under police supervision.
Residents expressed anger and disappointment, claiming that they had been provided electricity connections, water supply, voter ID cards, and ration cards by the authorities — which led them to believe their homes were legal. “If the area was a park land, why were we given government facilities? We are ready to obey the court order, but at least some time should have been given to vacate,” said one of the displaced residents.
Municipal officials stated that alternative land near Budal Road and Turchaghatta has been identified for rehabilitating the evicted families.
The eviction drive has sparked debate among local residents, with some supporting the move as a necessary step to reclaim public land, while others criticized the sudden demolition without adequate resettlement arrangements.
