Noida freed 950,000 square metres land from encroachment in FY 2024-25

The Noida authority freed 950,000 square metres of land worth ₹970 crore from encroachment in the 2024-25 financial year. Noida authority chief executive officer Lokesh M made the claim during the authority’s 49th foundation day celebrations as officials of departments such as land, horticulture, group housing, civil and industry shared details about the work done in the past year.

“We directed the land department staff to identify government land that was encroached upon and ran drives to free this land earmarked for planned development in the city. The authority freed ₹970 crore worth land measuring 950,000 square metres across villages and sectors. We also began a new initiative this year to address farmers’ issues effectively,” said Lokesh M at the press briefing organised at Indira Gandhi Kala Kendra in Noida Sector 6.

“Noida was formed on April 17, 1976, as a well-planned industrial city to encourage businessmen to set up their units here to create opportunities. The city has witnessed phenomenal growth in the last 49 years and emerged as one of the best cities in the country by offering the best in housing, industries and manufacturing. We are successfully working as a development body by acquiring land, developing it and allotting it for business and residential purposes, too. Simultaneously, we are also working as a municipal body to serve residents by offering the best services,” said Lokesh M, adding that the authority is going to celebrate its 50th foundation day next year with multiple cultural and business events.

Noida authority’s officer on special duty Kranti Shekhar Singh said they surveyed 55 villages in January 2025 to identify residential land disputes of the farmers. So far, they have surveyed at least 15 villages where they settled residential land disputes of 377 farmers.

Officials said that they have taken measures to address issues related to farmers, homebuyers, property allottees, and other stakeholders by introducing new schemes and adopting digital practices in delivering civic and property related services in the city.

Health department officials said that they are cleaning the city’s arterial roads with the help of 14 mechanical sweeping machines, have built 200 public urinals including 14 pink ones for women, started work on recycling the city’s waste and carrying out door-to-door garbage collection to perform better on the national cleanliness survey.

“Under the move of decentralising waste treatment we have set up six small waste recycling plants in the city and 16 more are to be established,” said SP Singh, general manager of the health department.

The authority said that it has made 32 foot overbridges across the city to offer safe passage to pedestrians in the last 49 years, and new locations are being identified to build more for pedestrians.

“We will deliver a 300-metre-long skywalk built for ₹40 crore in June for Metro users to connect sectors 51 to 52 to seamlessly connect Delhi Metro’s Blue Line with Noida’s Aqua Line. Also, we are likely to start work on construction of a skywalk to connect sector 1 with sector 2 at Gol Chakkar roundabout for the pedestrians,” said RP Singh, general manager of the water works and electrical department.

Noida authority’s civil department general manager Vijay Rawal said they have opened three new underpasses in 2024-25. “We will open the new building in Sector 96 in May. We have also fast-tracked delayed projects including the Golf Course project in Sector 151, approach roads to connect Hindon bridge in Sector 145, and beautified Brahamputra market in Sector 29.”

Noida authority additional chief executive officer Sanjay Kumar Khatri said the industry department is going to come up with many plot schemes for industrial and commercial use.

“Noida has emerged as one of the world’s biggest industrial cities with 3,000 industrial projects including campuses of Microsoft, Wipro, TCS, and Infosys, among others. Noida does business worth ₹50,000 crore annually and has become a favourite destination for investment among domestic and global investors due to robust infrastructure, ease of doing business, and excellent law and order. The authority will soon launch plot schemes in the plot size of more than 20,000 square metres and below 20,000 square metres as the details are being worked out. These schemes will offer industrial plots in new sectors including 162 and 163 along Noida-Greater Noida Expressway,” he said.