Scrapping of land acquisition give boost to illegal buildings
GREATERNOIDA: Quashing of acquisition of 161.531 hectare agricultural land in Shahberi village by the Supreme Court in October 2011, in response to a petition from farmers and other landowners, gave a boost to unplanned development in the area.
In 2009-10, Greater Noida had acquired 3,635 hectares of land, including 161.531 hectares of Shahberi, for planned housing projects as the land was allotted to Amrapali Group and other builders.
But after the apex order came in favour of land owners and farmers took back the possession of land, they started developing small group housing towers without obtaining required approvals from the Greater Noida authority or the district administration and the government officials.
Also, police didn’t take any steps in stopping the illegal construction.
Many farmers and other landowners had, in May 2012, through a proposal sought permission from the Greater Noida authority to develop planned housing projects. But the authority had refused the proposal on the ground that since it has not allotted the land, it cannot give permission for housing on village land.
A list of 13 plots measuring 35.136 hectare were enclosed with the proposal. Farmers, who were part of this plan included Sajid Hussain, Zile Singh, Rambir Singh, Intesaab Hussain, Farhat Ali, Shakila Begum, Shugan Pal, Davender Singh, Varun and Jagbir Singh. They have also submitted a conceptual note of architect Snehanshu Mukherjee.
“Many farmers sold their land to builders, who built five- to eight-storey residential buildings and offered flats to buyers. Some farmers also constructed residential buildings and sold the flats to make quick money,” said Sachin Sharma, a resident of Chipyana Khurd, a village located next to Shahberi.
The Greater Noida authority and the Gautam Budh Nagar administration never came up with any policy that prohibited illegal construction and work towards construction of planned houses on the vacant land in Shahberi, which was located amid approved high-rises of Greater Noida West.
Shahberi is home to more than 1,000 small illegal housing buildings most of which are occupied by people from lower middle class background working in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad.
“Big realty firms offer a 1,000square foot 2BHK flat for ₹30 to ₹35 lakh in Greater Noida West. But one can get the same size flat prized as low as ₹15 lakh,” said Sajjan Singh, a resident of Shahberi.
Since the buildings are illegal, the government has not developed roads, drainage and other civic amenities.
The Greater Noida authority official said, “We develop civic facilities in areas. Since the area belongs to farmers and other plot owners and not allotted by us, we have not developed facilities.”