BSNL Told to Cancel The E-Auction of Land Abutting NH 66 in Kadri Mangalore: Check Out Why

Dakshina Kannada district administration has directed the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), Dakshina Kannada telecom district, to cancel e-auction proceedings of two plots abutting NH 66 in Kadri, Mangalore.

Deputy Commissioner M.R. Ravi Kumar told BSNL that 2.84 acre in Survey No. 57/1A2 and 1.97 acre in Survey No. 57/B in Kadri B village are government land. They were acquired by the then Assistant Commissioner on September 19, 1967 for the Telecom Department. The DC learnt that BSNL proposes to sell these plots through e-auction. “The plots are government (State) property, and there is no provision to sell those to private parties,” Mr. Kumar said, directing BNSL to withdraw the e-auction process. The properties were given by the State government to the then Telecom Department, now BSNL, to provide telephone and allied services. The company could not sell such land, he said adding many other prominent citizens, including architect Venkatesh Pai, had petitioned the government against BSNL’s move. The land parcels are in a prime location abutting the National Highway, and selling government land would cause irreparable loss to the general public. The land should be used for public purpose alone.