4 days ago
Yeida rejects Boney Kapoor firm's Film City layout plans; seeks revisions
GREATER NOIDA: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Tuesday said it has rejected the Boney Kapoor-led firm's latest request for approving its layout plans to set up a Film City in Sector 21 along the Expressway, citing violations of the laid down rules, and issued it a notice to revise it.
Yeida found that the layout in the present form lacked fire no-objection certificate (NOC), structure safety certificate, and it also violates the land use by planning commercial work on a green area.
Bayview Bhutani Film City Private Limited, a consortium led by filmmaker Boney Kapoor and the Bhutani Group -- submitted its layout plan three days ago for the proposed 230-acre Film City, prompting Yeida to raise multiple objections, citing major deviations from the approved land use, said Yeida officials.
'The authority's main concern is the proposed alteration of designated green areas, originally earmarked for parks, playgrounds, and multi-purpose open spaces. Instead, the consortium has planned to construct film studios with accommodations and related infrastructure on this land. This move, officials said, is not in line with the sanctioned land use,' said Yeida chief executive officer (CEO) Arun Vir Singh.
Yeida said the layout plan (submitted by developer) includes multiple commercial buildings within the industrial zone—another clear violation.
'Warehouses, hotels, and staff housing have been proposed on industrial-use land, contrary to zoning regulations. The consortium has also failed to submit key documents, including the fire safety NOC and structural stability certificate. Only the layout for the film institute and film studios will be considered for approval at this stage under phase I. The authority has made it clear that no permissions will be granted for commercial developments—such as malls or resorts—until the developer completes at least 15% of the film institute and studios constructions,' the CEO added.
As per the approved land use, 155 acres are reserved for industrial purposes and 75 acres for commercial use. Of the industrial portion, 21 acres are earmarked for the film institute and 134 acres for film-related facilities, said Yeida officials.
'The plan fragments the designated green belt instead of maintaining a consolidated area. The green cover constitutes 15% of the total site, but the builder's plan falls short of expectations,' the CEO said.
The authority has directed the consortium to revise the proposal and submit a phase-wise development plan at the earliest. Only Phase 1, covering the industrial zone, will be approved for now. However, Phases 2 and 3 must be clearly indicated in the revised plan, officials said.
'The commercial activities will be permitted only after 15% of the project facilities are developed. The first phase, focused on building the film studios, is expected to take three years, with a total project completion timeline of eight years,' said Singh.
Bhutani Infrastructure chief executive officer Ashish Bhutani was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts.
