Patna: Residents seeking new electricity connections in several disputed colonies of Patna, including Nepali Nagar, Chandra Vihar Colony, Rajiv Nagar and other areas of Digha, will now have to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Bihar State Housing Board before their applications are approved.
The move applies to 1,024.52 acres of disputed land in Digha and is aimed at preventing fresh unauthorised construction in the area.
Housing Board Seeks Curb On Illegal Construction
According to officials, the Housing Board’s Chief Engineer wrote to the electricity distribution company requesting that no new electricity connections be granted without an NOC from the Board.
The electricity company’s headquarters has since directed that applicants from the affected colonies must first produce the Housing Board’s clearance before new connections are sanctioned.
Officials said dozens of applications for new electricity connections continue to be received from the disputed area.
Five-Decade-Old Land Dispute
The dispute over the 1,024.52 acres of land in Digha has continued for more than five decades.
The Housing Board initiated land acquisition between 1972 and 1974, but compensation to landowners was delayed due to procedural issues.
According to officials, the prolonged delay created uncertainty over ownership, during which several housing societies allegedly bought and sold parcels of the disputed land.
Legal Battle Reached Supreme Court
The dispute subsequently led to prolonged litigation, with cases moving from the Patna High Court to the Supreme Court, resulting in multiple judicial rulings over the years.
In an attempt to resolve the issue, the Bihar government enacted legislation in 2010 to regularise the Housing Board’s land holdings, followed by the framing of rules in 2014.
Despite these measures, the ownership dispute remains unresolved, and authorities say the NOC requirement is intended to prevent further construction until the legal and administrative issues are settled.
