GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has dismantled an illegal township spanning 23 hectares in Bhikhanpur and Morta, where developers had constructed roads and boundary walls.
A recent survey from the GDA indicates that the number of illegal colonies has increased to 351, up from 321 in 2021, occupying a total of 2,944 acres of land, said an official.
The Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) has also reclaimed 1,600 square meters of land in Vasundhara valued at ₹30 crores.
“In these areas, encroachers collaborated with land sharks to designate land for residential purposes without obtaining necessary map approvals. They established an office, erected boundary walls, and were in the process of building roads,” a GDA official stated.
“Our team identified the illegal constructions, and an anti-encroachment unit, supported by a police presence, demolished the structures and cordoned off the area. Legal action has been initiated against the landowners,” the official added.
“While we conduct such operations regularly, they serve only as temporary measures. For a long-term solution, the GDA has proposed banning property registries in these colonies. We contacted the stamp and registry department in September regarding this but have yet to receive a response,” the official explained.
An official from the stamp and registration department commented, “Clause 241 of the registration manual clearly states that this department cannot deny property registrations. We are not responsible for verifying the documents submitted during registration; that falls under procedural rules.”
Separately, the GMC led an anti-encroachment initiative in Vasundhara. “In Vasundhara, 1,600 square meters of land has been encroached upon for many years, originally belonging to the GMC. A cattle shed had been established in the area, and we received numerous complaints,” said Mayor Sunita Daya.
