From chaos to clarity: Damtal temple trust rolls out unified lease policy

In a major move to streamline and safeguard its immovable assets, the Thakur Ram Gopal Temple Trust, Damtal, located in the Indora subdivision, is set to bring all of its rented and encroached properties under the lease policy notified in 2004.

The temple, believed to be the richest in Himachal Pradesh, owns over 17,000 kanal of land in the state and about 550 kanal in Punjab, the latter taken over by the state government in 1984 under the HP Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Act following allegations of mismanagement by the former mahant and his aides.

Over the years, successive governments have failed to act against defaulters and encroachers occupying temple land without paying rent or abiding by lease agreements. A large portion of this land, both within and outside Himachal, remains under illegal possession or has been leased out to tenants who have defaulted on their payments. The situation has led to administrative challenges and a rise in disputes.

To address these longstanding concerns, the temple trust recently held a high-level meeting at Indora under the chairmanship of local MLA Malinder Rajan, where it was unanimously resolved to implement a uniform lease policy to regulate all immovable temple properties. Officials said that over the years, land had been occupied by various individuals on differing terms, making it difficult to enforce accountability.

In a bid to ensure transparency, legal clarity and long-term protection of temple assets, the trust decided to revise and standardize lease terms under a single framework. The move is also aimed at resolving multiple pending court cases related to property disputes.

The meeting was attended by official and non-official members of the trust, including SDM Indora Surinder Thakur (government member), Executive Engineer PWD Indora, BDO Indora, Divisional Forest Officer, Nurpur, and others.

Apart from lease reforms, the trust resolved to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for temple renovation, construction of a boundary wall, and the restoration of the temple’s original architecture. A major focus will also be on expanding its existing gaushala (cow shelter) from a capacity of 600 to a new cow sanctuary that can accommodate 3,000 stray cattle.

To safeguard temple revenue records, the trust will also hire dedicated legal and revenue experts to update land ownership documents and recover lost properties through legal means.

Himachal Tribune