New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that several state governments, their agencies, and other entities have encroached upon defence lands, and efforts are underway to evict them.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi directed the high-powered independent committee—constituted by the Centre to monitor the removal of encroachments on defence land—to submit an interim report within two weeks.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the bench that while the committee has been inspecting sites and identifying encroachments, it has faced resistance, necessitating the court’s directions and support.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Common Cause—which filed a 2014 PIL seeking a probe into defence land encroachments—argued that the panel must also address issues at the micro level and reiterated the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) recommendation for an independent regulatory body.
The bench noted that any such body would need to coordinate with local revenue and law enforcement authorities. “Once the interim report is filed, we will consider appropriate directions,” the court said, listing the matter for further hearing on November 10.
In an affidavit filed on July 30, the Centre stated that 2,024 acres out of 75,629 acres of defence land in India are encroached by private individuals, while 1,575 acres are under unauthorised occupation by former agricultural lessees.
According to the Ministry of Defence’s status report, 819 acres are occupied by state and central government departments or their undertakings for public-utility purposes such as roads, schools, parks, bus stands, and administrative use.
The affidavit detailed that of the 75,629 acres under the Defence Estates Organisation (DEO), about 52,899 acres lie within cantonments and 22,730 acres outside. It also confirmed that eviction proceedings have been initiated against those occupying land without authorisation.
The Centre added that discussions are ongoing with concerned government authorities to explore land exchange arrangements, where equivalent parcels may be allotted to the Defence Ministry in lieu of encroached land.
To strengthen eviction efforts, the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) has launched a digital Encroachment Module under its Real-Time Record Management (RTRM) system. This allows Defence Estates Officers and Cantonment Board CEOs to report encroachments transparently and directly to designated estate officers.
The ministry said preventive measures—such as fencing and constructing boundary walls around vulnerable areas—have been intensified. Over the past decade, 1,715 acres of encroached defence land have been reclaimed, including 220 acres in the current year alone with the help of improved survey technology and local administrative support.
However, the affidavit acknowledged operational hurdles, including lack of police or magistrate support, judicial stays, and infrastructural delays, which hinder eviction processes.
It further noted that several reforms, including complete digitisation of defence land records, are underway to curb future encroachments.
The Supreme Court had earlier, on May 7, expressed concern over irregularities in the allotment of defence land to private entities and hinted at forming a probe team. Without naming specific cantonments, the court observed that some areas feature “palatial bungalows and large shopping complexes” allegedly developed through collusion with defence estate officials.
The PIL filed in 2014 by Common Cause seeks a CBI investigation into the alleged encroachment and misuse of defence land across the country.
