Hi-Tech City developer seeks entire land parcel for development and grant of extension

The developer of Hi-Tech City Township near National Highway-9 has responded to the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) query, saying that they wish to retain the entire land earmarked their project and do not wish to part away with any land parcel. The response by the developer came after the state officials asked the GDA to make an inquiry into the land assessment of the project after farmers approached the Allahabad High Court.

The High Court in its order in July had asked the GDA to consider the pleas of the farmer within three months. The farmers belong to the areas affected by the township and moved the court in a bid to get the layout maps of their land sanctioned or exempt their land from the area earmarked for development of Hi-Tech Township. According to officials, the farmers cannot sell their land identified under the project to anyone else but the developer as per the terms and conditions of the Hi-Tech City policy.

“In response to a high-level meeting in Lucknow, the GDA had sought a land assessment plan for the project. The developer has replied that they wish to continue with the development of the township and is unwilling to part with any land. They have also sought extension for their project. We will be sending a report to the state officials who will decide on the issue of the land as well as the extension for the project,” said Kanchan Verma, vice-chairperson, GDA.

According to authority officials, the Wave City project of the township was planned over an area of 4,494 acres as per the detailed project report, although about 3,035 acres of land has been acquired so far. They added that the developer wished to retain entire 4,494 acres of land, especially since the DPR and the layout map were sanctioned in 2011 and 2013 respectively.

“They also have about 800 acres of land which is not in their physical possession. Most of the land is under the jurisdiction of villages in Gautam Budh Nagar district, and we are coordinating with their officials to get the physical possession to the developer. As per the terms, the developers under the Hi-Tech City Township policy has to acquire minimum of 1,500 acre of land. There is also a second project in Ghaziabad where only 851 acres out of 4,312 acre land is presently with the developer. But there has been no written reply received from the developer so far,” Verma, added.

The developer in its written reply given to the authority officials has stated that about 388 acre land got acquired through the authority in 2010, while 97.9 acres out of this still remain to be acquired. The work on another 757 acres of land which was directly purchased from farmers is pending due to interference by certain vested interests.

When contacted, a spokesperson from the developer’s firm said that he will submit an official response but did not revert till late Saturday evening.

First Published: Sep 21, 2019 22:49 IST