Karnataka High Court quashes acquisition of 1,938 acres for KHB’s housing project
The Karnataka High Court quashed a land acquisition project by the Karnataka Housing Board, citing environmental concerns near the Bannerghatta National Park. The court ruled that ecological preservation must be prioritized over residential development.
Why it matters
This ruling sets a significant legal precedent for prioritizing environmental impact assessments over state-led infrastructure projects.
In a major setback to the State government, the High Court of Karnataka has quashed the acquisition of 1,938 acres of land for the Karnataka Housing Board’s (KHB) ambitious Suryanagar 4th phase residential layout project, by holding that the land is part of areas proposed to be declared as eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) of the Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) besides abutting elephant corridors.
A Division Bench comprising Justice D.K. Singh and Justice H. Shanthi Bhushan passed the order on August 29 while setting aside a single judge’s January 2025 verdict.
The single judge had allowed the acquisition of agricultural land on the condition that the KHB should obtain necessary clearances from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, (MoEFCC), and had quashed the acquisition of converted land, except for the purpose of forming roads as per the Comprehensive Development Plan.
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