Odisha Revenue Board Cancels 1989 Order, Clears Way for Recovery of 11 Acres Near Konark Temple

In a major step towards protecting government land, the Odisha Board of Revenue has cancelled a 1989 administrative order concerning more than 11 acres of land near the Konark Sun Temple in Puri district. The land is estimated to be worth over ₹110 crore at current market rates.

The disputed plots in Konark mouza were originally recorded as Anabadi, or government land. However, an order issued in 1989 by the then Commissioner of Land Records and Settlement granted ownership rights over part of the land to a private individual. The claimant later relied on long-term possession, cultivation, rent payments and revenue records to support the claim.

After examining revision petitions filed by the Puri Collector in November 2025, Board of Revenue Member Satyabrata Sahu ruled that the original transfer lacked a valid legal foundation. The Board observed that possession and payment of land revenue alone cannot establish ownership if the initial grant was legally invalid. Subsequent land records and sale deeds also cannot rectify such a defect.

The Board has directed the concerned settlement authorities to verify old and current land records, maps, measurements and boundaries, make necessary corrections in official documents, and protect public roads and other government or common properties.

The decision is expected to strengthen efforts to safeguard public land around the Konark Sun Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised in 1984.