The lower house of the Russian parliament has approved a bill that would allow authorities to seize private lands to construct new infrastructure and buildings without prior negotiations with residents.
The bill was approved in its first reading by the State Duma on November 14.
It will undergo two further readings in the chamber before being sent to the upper house, the Federation Council, for consideration.
If approved by the Federation Council, it will be sent to President Vladimir Putin for his signature.
The bill would allow property holders to appeal the authorities' decisions, but they would only be able to challenge the amount of financial compensation offered in return for the property.
Many Russians have complained about moves by local authorities to seize property and demolish old buildings when developing districts and constructing infrastructure, saying such decisions are often made without taking their interests into account.
Residents have also complained about what they consider the low level of financial compensations offered by authorities.
