GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) is mandated to provide higher compensation to 35 farmers from Mohiddinpur Kanavani village in accordance with the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation & Resettlement) Act, 2013, for land designated for the Indirapuram Extension township.
In a ruling on October 17, the Allahabad High Court instructed the GDA to pay up to twice the prevailing circle rate of 2014.
The land acquisition dispute dates back to 2004 when the GDA announced plans to acquire 229 acres.
Farmers challenged the move, demanding higher compensation than the Rs 1,100 per square meter offered by the GDA. In 2005, 225 farmers obtained a stay order from the Allahabad High Court, seeking greater compensation. Over the years, the matter was contested in various courts, including the Supreme Court and the Allahabad High Court, remaining unresolved for nearly two decades.
The prolonged delay halted the township project, rendering it financially unfeasible, ultimately prompting the GDA to abandon the plan in 2019. In its recent decision, the two-judge bench of justices Anish Kumar Gupta and Manoj Kumar Gupta clarified that the compensation calculation date would be January 1, 2014, when the Act took effect. The 35 farmers, collectively possessing 153 acres of the 229 acres, may choose to retain their land or sell it to the GDA at the updated rates.
Ram Ratan Singh, a relative of one of the petitioners, expressed relief that the court finally resolved the issue after two decades. “A Supreme Court ruling in May 2022 regarding a similar land dispute with the Ayodhya Development Authority stated that compensation for cases filed before the Land Acquisition (Rehabilitation & Resettlement) Act, 2013, should reflect the rates in effect at that time,” Singh added.
The High Court also pointed out procedural failures by the GDA during the acquisition process. “Land acquisition involves notifications, public objections, rate decisions, disbursements, and property possession. The court found that the GDA overlooked public objections,” stated a GDA official. The court ordered that if the GDA intends to retain any land, it must publish a public notice in at least two newspapers and respond to objections within three months.
The High Court’s decision represents a mixed outcome for both parties. While farmers gain significantly higher compensation, the GDA has been granted a clear legal path to advance its township plans.
Of the over 200 initial landowners, only the 35 petitioners qualify for the enhanced rates, as the remainder had already accepted compensation. Despite the increased financial obligations, the GDA remains optimistic about the Indirapuram Extension project’s prospects.
Residential property prices in Indirapuram have surged, rising from approximately Rs 4,400-5,400 per square foot in the financial year 2021 to Rs 8,100-9,000 per square foot this fiscal year, indicating a 73% increase. The average circle rate for the residential category now stands at Rs 95,000 per square meter. “Once the Indirapuram Extension project is operational, the GDA anticipates substantial profits,” said the official.
