Anushka Sharma's animal hospital will come up in Shahapur

Actor Anushka Sharma's promise of a shelter for animals will finally see the light of day. The project, caught in red tape for three long years because the land acquired for it in Dahagaon village of Shahpur taluka, is agricultural, recently received the all-clear from the Thane Collector's office. Even though Anushka had announced plans for the shelter on her birthday in May last year, work on it had already begun in September 2016, when her family had acquired the five acres of land for Rs 4 crore.

The land is in the name of Anushka's mother, Ashima Sharma, according to papers available with this paper, as she holds a farmer's certificate. As per Indian laws , only farmers can buy agricultural land anywhere in the country. The project hit several roadblocks after the family wanted to convert it from agricultural to non-agricultural.

The agricultural plot got the Collector's all-clear only recently. Pic/Sneha Kharabe

There are several restrictions on construction on land meant for farming. Sources revealed that the actor, who has started a foundation in her name for the shelter, intends to build a veterinary hospital, too, on the sprawling plot. The plot will also have a bungalow for her parents, who will live there and look after the day-to-day running of the shelter. Anuhska's father, Colonel Ajay Kumar Sharma, is a retired army man.

Sources said that it was Anushka's spiritual guru who had suggested that she start the shelter. But, instead of restricting it to a mere animal shelter, the actor has decided to open a veterinary hospital as well. A team of experts from Udaipur is guiding the actor on the project, sources revealed.

When mid-day reached out to the actor, who is currently holidaying with her cricketer husband, Virat Kohli, in Australia and New Zealand, a spokesperson from her team responded, "We have no official comment to make as of now, regarding this."

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No. of hectares the plot is spread across

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