Project hits roadblock as govt refuses occupation certificate

CHANDIGARH: Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust (RGCT)’s eye hospital project in Gurugram has hit a roadblock as the senior town planner has refused to give it an occupation certificate, which is necessary for making the hospital functional.

Officials say that though the trust, chaired by Sonia Gandhi, has constructed the hospital building, there is no proper access to the site.

The town and country planning department, which granted the change of land use (CLU) permission in 2011 for setting up the hospital and rejected the grant of an occupation certificate in January 2017, also cited the fact that the Trust overshot the required time frame for putting the leased land to permitted use. The town and country planning department, on May 24, also asked the panchayats department to take action in the matter since the terms and conditions of the lease have been violated.

“The Trust has not made any fresh request for another extension. The last request was made in February 2014 when it sought an extension till 2019 but the cabinet granted it only till 2017,’’ a top official told HT.

Sarpanch of Ulhawas gram panchayat, Anil Kumar, on being asked whether the panchayat was contemplating to take back the land said there was no such move as of now.

The Trust got five acres and three marlas of Ulhawas panchayat land in 2010 on a lease for 33 years for setting up a charitable eye hospital at the rate of ₹3 lakh per acre with a 5% annual increase.

There was a stipulation that the eye hospital would be constructed within two years of the lease period.

However, the Trust could not construct the hospital within two years and got two extensions when the Congress was in power in the state. The construction period was last extended till January 7, 2017 on the Trust’s request.

The terms and conditions of the lease stipulated that lease of the land would automatically stand cancelled in the event of breach of conditions.

The Trust had sought an extension of time limit in 2013, taking the plea that the project was delayed on account of time consumed by the state government for grant of change of land use permission (CLU). Gram panchayat Ulhawas also passed a resolution supporting the extension of time limit for setting up the eye hospital.

THE CERTIFICATE, WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR MAKING THE HOSPITAL FUNCTIONAL, WAS DENIED STATING THAT THE TRUST OVERSHOT THE TIME LIMIT FOR CONSTRUCTION