Push for Madhuban Bapudham housing scheme, GDA finalises price for developed plots
In 2004, farmers with a collective land holding of 281 acres had challenged GDA’s acquisition process, in which the emergency clause was invoked.
The Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) has finalised the rates at which developed plots will be offered to those farmers whose land was acquired for the Madhuban Bapudham Township, located between Delhi-Meerut Road and NH-9. Development activities are yet to be start at the 1,250-acre township as disbursement of land compensation and handover of developed plots was pending.
In 2004, farmers with a collective land holding of 281 acres had challenged GDA’s acquisition process, in which the emergency clause was invoked. The aggrieved lot had moved the Allahabad High Court but failed to get relief. They then moved the Supreme Court, which in November 2017 directed the authority to pay compensation as per the provisions of the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation & Resettlement) Act, 2013.
“The district administration is in the process of disbursing compensation of about ₹1,100 crore. Further, we have finalised that developed plots will be offered to farmers for about ₹26,500 per square metre; this includes land and development costs. The farmers can opt to take the compensation or get developed plots. We have carved out different plots, measuring 60 to 100 square metres which will be offered under rehabilitation and resettlement,” GDA vice-chairperson Kanchan Verma said.
GDA chief engineer VN Singh said the same rate will be offered to plot-buyers.
“With this development, we expect that work on the township development, including building roads and other civic facilities, will now expedite,” Verma said.
Only 20% of the 281 acres has been reserved to be developed as plots for being offered to farmers. Under the scheme, some 20,000 housing units are to be developed, besides development of commercial spaces.
Officials of the land acquisition department said they have distributed about ₹325 crore out of the total compensation amount which it was directed to pay farmers holding the 281 acres.
“A part of the compensation was held-up as the GDA was yet to fix the price of rehabilitation and resettlement. We have been told that the price of developed plots has been fixed. Once we get an official letter, we will expedite the process of rehabilitation and resettlement,” additional district magistrate (land & revenue) MS Gabryal said.
