Indore Christian College land declared govt property:Collector orders possession within three days after lease violation; land worth ₹400 crore to be reclaimed

Indore Collector Shivam Verma has declared the land belonging to the Christian College as government property, citing violation of lease terms. The land, valued at approximately Rs 400 crore, has long been targeted by land mafias, and the college management had been attempting commercial development on the premises. Following the lease violations, the Collector ordered the land to be taken over within three days by the Juni Indore Tehsildar. Collector orders seizure after lease violation According to the Collector’s order, once the land is seized, it will be used in the interest of the government. The college management had sought relief from both the High Court and the Supreme Court, but failed to obtain any. After the courts rejected their petitions, the final decision was made by the Collector. No relief from High Court or Supreme Court The college had challenged the notice issued by the Collector in the High Court, but the court stated that the Collector’s letter was only a notice and not the final order. The management was given full opportunity to present its case. Later, the college approached the Supreme Court. The top court dismissed the petition and clarified that the Collector has the authority to decide the matter under law. After this, it was clear that the final decision would be taken by the Collector. Commercial development plan revealed the violation The land in question is part of a larger plot (Khasra No. 407/1669/3) measuring 68.303 hectares, of which 1.702 hectares is used by the Christian College. The management applied for approval of a building plan for commercial offices, shops, and other constructions on the remaining land. Upon learning of this, the district administration initiated a full investigation. Land originally granted for hospital and school Records show that the land was given in 1887 during the Holkar era by Maharani Bhagirathi Bai to the Canadian Mission for running a women’s hospital and a school. The lease clearly stated that the land would remain with the church only as long as it was used for these purposes. If the land ceased to be used for the hospital or school, the government reserved the right to reclaim it. Investigation confirms lease breach The probe found that the women’s hospital is not operational, and the college is functioning only in a limited area. Despite this, the management was planning commercial activities on the remaining land—contrary to the original purpose and lease conditions. The Collector halted the proposed plan and initiated the land reclamation process, issuing a show-cause notice to the college. Three-day seizure deadline After all legal options were exhausted, the Collector Court issued the final order on January 23. Due to the holiday period, the college management now has no option for a stay. The Collector has directed the Juni Indore Tehsildar to seize the land within three days and register it in the government’s name.