Thousands of Farmers Protest Land Acquisition for Pataliputra Satellite Township at Masaurhi

What Happened

On July 10, 2026, thousands of farmers organized by a Kisan Sangh (farmers' association) staged a large-scale sit-in protest at the Masaurhi sub-divisional office campus opposing land acquisition for the proposed Pataliputra Satellite Township. The demonstration reflects growing local resistance to the land-pooling and acquisition process in the Punpun-Fatuha-Masaurhi belt on Patna's outskirts, where core and special zones for the township have been notified. The demonstration is one of the first major public protests reported against the flagship 81,000+ acre Pataliputra Township component of Bihar's 11-township greenfield program.

The Pataliputra Township Project

The Bihar government announced plans to develop its largest greenfield satellite township near Patna, spanning more than 81,000 acres with a proposed Pataliputra Township covering around 81,730 acres under its 'special zone,' with an additional 1,010 acres identified as the core development area where initial infrastructure will be built.

The special zone includes 274 villages spread across blocks such as Punpun, Fatuha, Sampatchak, Patna Rural, Naubatpur, Dhanarua, Daniyawan and Masaurhi, along with six wards of the Punpun Nagar Panchayat. The core area comprises 12 villages within the Punpun block, including Pipra, Bajidpur, Panwar and Sikandarpur.

The project is designed as a modern urban hub, incorporating key facilities such as a Fintech City, Sports City, logistics hub and a judicial academy.

Government Decision and Timeline

The state cabinet gave its nod on November 25, 2025, for developing 11 satellite townships including Pataliputra (Patna), Sonepur (Hariharnathpur), Gaya (Magadh), Darbhanga (Mithila), Munger (Ang), Purnea, Saharsa (Koshi), Chhapra (Saran), Bhagalpur (Vikramshila), Muzaffarpur (Tirhut), and Sitamarhi (Sitapuram).

The Urban Development and Housing Department imposed a ban on the sale, purchase and construction of land within both the special and core zones until the township's master plan is finalized and notified. Officials said the restriction is intended to prevent unregulated development and ensure that the township evolves in a planned manner.

In a major development, the Bihar state cabinet on June 17, 2026 approved a proposal to partially relax the land transaction ban across all 11 Greenfield Satellite Township zones, including Pataliputra Satellite Township. Under the new Bihar Raiyat Land Purchase Policy-2026, landowners in the designated area can now sell their land through two regulated channels: Direct sale to Bihar State Housing Board (BSHB) — eligible in cases of financial emergencies and Sale/lease for SIPB-approved investment projects — for government-sanctioned industrial or commercial developments.

Land Pooling and Farmer Compensation

Using a land pooling model, landowners contribute land and the government develops infrastructure, returning 55% of developed land to owners. One of the most striking features of the project is its land-sharing model, under which farmers will not simply lose their land. The returned land will be more valuable, with estimates suggesting up to 10 times increase in market value.

Reported compensation norms provide twice the applicable market value or circle rate for urban land and four times the applicable value for rural land, with an additional incentive under the approved policy.

What Comes Next

Officials said the draft plan for the new townships is expected by October–November 2026, after which detailed planning will begin. Restrictions on land sale, transfer and new construction activities will remain in place until March 31, 2027, in Patna, Sonepur, Gaya, Darbhanga, Munger, Purnea and Saharsa, while similar restrictions in Chhapra, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur and Sitamarhi will continue until June 30, 2027.

Officials said parts of the new township areas may be incorporated into the Patna Municipal Corporation, potentially increasing the number of wards from 75 to more than 160. However, formal approval for the expansion of municipal limits is still under consideration.