How 100-yr-old public path vanished from revenue records? high-level probe puts settlement excercise under scanner
Shimla, Jun 10
Serious questions have been raised over the integrity of Himachal Pradesh’s Settlement Department after a Lokayukta-ordered investigation allegedly revealed manipulation of revenue records that led to the disappearance of a century-old public pathway in Solan district.
The probe pertains to settlement operations conducted between 2008 and 2019 in the Jabli-Gahi Patwar Circle of Solan district. The investigation was initiated after a complaint by Krishna Dutt Attri, Pradhan of the Gram and Samaj Sudhar Samiti, who alleged that a public path connecting Gahi-Jabli village to the railway line had been systematically erased from official records and portions of the land transferred to private ownership.
Taking cognizance of Attri’s complaint, Lokayukta Justice Chander Bhushan Barowalia appointed an investigating officer to examine the allegations. During a joint site inspection carried out on February 17, 2026, in the presence of revenue officials and local stakeholders, several discrepancies reportedly came to light.
According to the investigation report, the pathway had existed in revenue records since the 1909 settlement and was recorded as Gair Mumkin Rasta (public path) at multiple locations. However, subsequent settlement operations allegedly reduced the width and length of the path at various points. In certain stretches, land recorded as a public path was shown as a khad (seasonal stream), while some portions were transferred to private individuals.
The report notes that although several khasra numbers continue to be recorded as Gair Mumkin Rasta in revenue documents, spot verification revealed discrepancies regarding their continuity, physical condition and practical usability on the ground.
One of the most significant findings relates to Khasra No. 1001/466. The investigating officer observed that while the khasra is still recorded as a pathway in revenue records, no defined path exists on the ground and the site has instead been found to be a seasonal stream. The report further notes variations in the recorded area of the land before and after settlement operations.
The alleged alterations enabled encroachments on the traditional pathway, with hotels and other private structures reportedly coming up on land that villagers claim had been used as a public access route for more than a century.
The issue had earlier been raised before various authorities, including the Chief Minister and Revenue Minister. Local MLA Vinod Sultanpuri also highlighted the matter in the Vidhan Sabha on September 2, 2024, where Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi assured the House that appropriate action would be taken. However, with no visible action forthcoming, the complainant approached the Lokayukta.
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The findings of the probe have now placed the functioning of the Settlement Department under scrutiny, with questions being raised over how a public pathway recorded for over 100 years could allegedly disappear from revenue records during the settlement process. Further proceedings in the matter are awaited before the Lokayukta.
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