GHAZIABAD: Following a directive from the Allahabad High Court, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) is set to seek public objections next week regarding the acquisition of land for its Indirapuram Extension scheme. The court’s ruling highlighted irregularities in the land acquisition process, prompting the GDA to notify the public.
“The land acquisition process involves multiple steps, including issuing notifications, inviting public objections, determining rates, disbursing payments, and ultimately taking physical possession of the land. In this instance, the court determined that the GDA neglected to invite public objections,” a GDA official noted.
The GDA’s order dated October 17 mandates, “The GDA shall issue a public notice regarding the acquisition of 153 acres in Mohiddinpur Kanawani village via at least two newspapers, and any public objections must be addressed within three months of the notification’s publication.”
In addressing the case, a bench comprising Justices Anish Kumar Gupta and Manoj Kumar Gupta also instructed the GDA to compensate 35 farmers, collectively owning 153 acres of unacquired land for the Indirapuram Extension Scheme, at a rate up to double the circle rate from 2014.
Back in 2004, the GDA had announced the acquisition of 229 acres in Mohiddinpur Kanawani village. However, it faced resistance from farmers seeking higher compensation. Initially, the state government had acquired land from farmers at ₹1,100 per square meter, but a group of 225 farmers obtained a stay from the Allahabad High Court, demanding enhanced compensation.
This issue has lingered in both the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court for over 18 years, finally reaching resolution through the recent order.
“Out of around 200 farmers and landowners involved, only 34 had not accepted the compensation, as indicated by the Allahabad High Court’s order, which specifies that ‘the benefits of the current order will apply only to those landowners present before this Court’, meaning only these 34 landowners are eligible for increased compensation,” the official explained.
