Layout plan of IMT plot to be cancelled

Ghaziabad: A day after the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) cancelled land allotment of IMT Ghaziabad after it was found that the institute had allegedly encroached upon 11,503 square yard of government land, the authority is set to cancel the layout plan of the plot. GDA vice chairperson Kanchan Verma said they will now initiate an inquiry to fix the blame on GDA officials under whose watch the plan had been sanctioned.
“The option left with IMT Ghaziabad is to reclaim the land by paying the GDA for the 11,503 square yards as per the prevailing market price, unless it chooses to approach the court,” said Verma. “In the meantime, IMT Ghaziabad will technically be termed an ‘encroacher’ and we will cancel the layout plan of that portion of land shortly,” Verma added.
The plot has IMT hostels on it. Verma said that between 1981 and 1994, the GDA had served many notices to the institute but the management paid little attention to those. But after 1995, there is no record of the GDA serving any notice to the institute. “So, basically the matter was put in the backburner, which suggests that the then GDA officials did not deem it fit to pursue the case and it could be because of any reason. Hence, an inquiry would be initiated against them,” Verma said.
The problem dates back to 1968 when the GDA acquired 45,000 square yard from farmers for IMT Ghaziabad. But since some farmers went to court over compensation, the remaining 11,503 square yards could not be transferred to the institute. In 1997, the compensation issue got resolved and when the land was being transferred to the IMT, it insisted that it will pay as per the market rate prevalent in 1968. But GDA had said it should pay according to the 1997 market rate. In March, the issue was highlighted by councilor Rajender Tyagi.
IMT Ghaziabad director Asish Bhattacharyya said they have received a notice from the GDA. “We have got the cancellation notice from GDA and we will proceed accordingly,” he said.
The issue got political traction because the founding members of IMT Ghaziabad are from the family of Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath, who in the past held an influential managerial post. The post is currently held by his son Bakul Nath.