GMDA set to develop green belts in new sectors

Gurgaon: The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has decided to hold a meeting with residents, developers and other stakeholders in sectors 58–115 to come up with a comprehensive plan for the development of green belts in the area.
Previously, several resident welfare associations in the new sectors had raised the issue with authorities that green belts had not been developed in their areas.
Now, GMDA chief V Umashanker has directed the urban planning division of GMDA to execute the plan. A GMDA official said, “Once the plan is in place after discussions with all the stakeholders, it will be executed after the Lok Sabha elections.”
In order to develop the green belts, the district town planner (DTP) will conduct a survey of the right of way (ROW) of all roads in sectors 58-115 and identify all encroachments there.
Meanwhile, a similar plan has been devised for protecting the green belts in the sectors 1-57, as well.
Additionally, GMDA has constituted a committee that will regularly monitor land, roads and green belts under its ownership and take necessary action for removal of encroachments. The team will work with the DTCP officials and the police department to carry out anti-encroachment drives in these areas.
“In order to prevent encroachers from coming back, the team will visit the sites weekly and bi-annually,” said a GMDA official. However, the lack of resources is a challenge for the authority as it has only two junior engineers and one assistant town planner in the enforcement wing.