The Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) has agreed to drop its plans to acquire nearly 93 acres of land belonging to the historic Sri Maruti Temple in Modaga village, falling under the Belagavi Rural constituency.
The decision came following a high-level meeting on Saturday at the KHB headquarters in Bengaluru, led by a delegation under former minister and Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar.
The delegation, which included Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Channaraj Hattiholi, Youth Congress leader Mrinal Hebbalkar, members of the temple management committee, and village elders, held extensive discussions with senior KHB officials.
During the meeting, Laxmi Hebbalkar highlighted the deep religious, historical, and cultural significance of the Sri Maruti Temple to the local community. She submitted all official land records proving the temple’s ownership and strongly urged the same officials to respect the public’s sentiments by immediately halting the land acquisition process.
Responding positively to the delegation’s appeal and verifying the submitted documents, KHB officials assured that the acquisition process for the temple land would be dropped.
Speaking after the meeting, MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar said, “Protecting the interests of the people of my constituency is my topmost priority. Safeguarding temple property is a collective responsibility. Not just as the local MLA, but as a daughter of this soil, I will always stand at the forefront to protect the religious beliefs and rights of the people.”
Expressing their relief and gratitude over the swift intervention and successful outcome, the residents of Modaga village, the temple management committee, and village elders thanked Hebbalkar for her timely efforts in saving the sacred land.
