Latest news with #GMADA
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
14 years on, GMADA yet to hand over showrooms against acquired land
Even though the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had acquired land for the IT City housing scheme at Aerocity in December 2011, around 300 landowners from seven villages, who had applied under the land pooling scheme, are still awaiting possession of their showrooms. Through the land pooling scheme, owners were to be provided with residential or commercial plots instead of monetary compensation in lieu of their land. The size of each showroom is 100 square yards. In contrast, GMADA had already given possession of residential plots in IT City in 2019. According to records, letters of intent (LOIs) were issued in 2013 for 100 square yards SCOs and booths, based on entitlement. The draw for allotment of commercial sites and booths to LOI holders was conducted in August 2021. However, more than three and a half years later, the original allottees have still not received allotment letters or possession of their sites, preventing them from constructing buildings and starting businesses to earn a livelihood. One allottee, Harpal Singh, said, 'GMADA had acquired the land more than a decade ago but has still not given us possession of the showrooms under the land pooling scheme, despite repeated requests.' He added, 'On the other hand, Manav Rachna School and companies such as Infosys and HDFC have already constructed their buildings and are running their operations. It is unclear why GMADA is delaying possession when the infrastructure at the site is already complete.' When contacted, a senior GMADA officer said, 'There are some issues related to services and the alignment of the choe (seasonal stream) passing through the area. We are hopeful that the matter will be resolved soon and possession will be handed over in the next few months.' Another landowner, Sajjan Singh of Chajumajra village, expressed his disappointment, stating, 'There is a lot of discontentment among allottees due to the non-issuance of allotment letters and possession. Many of our children are unemployed and our livelihood is at risk as our agricultural land was acquired way back in 2011. Although the draw for commercial plots was conducted and numbers allotted in 2021, possession has still not been given. Our children and family members are waiting to start their businesses to support the family.' The IT City spans 1,722 acres across Sectors 66-B, 82-A, 83-A and 101-A, adjacent to Airport Road. The first housing scheme in IT City was launched in February 2014, offering 325 residential plots at ₹23,500 per square yard. The second scheme was launched in July 2016 with 750 plots at ₹20,000 per square yard. The most recent one was launched in April 2018.
Hindustan Times
24-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Mohali: GMADA bulldozers get rolling in Jhampur village, Sector 122
Launching a crackdown on illegal colonies, the enforcement team of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) carried out a demolition drive in Jhampur village and 39 West housing society in Sector 122 on Friday, razing around 30 illegal structures. The action came days after HT reported on May 19 how nearly 15 illegal colonies had mushroomed in Mohali right under the nose of GMADA despite the Punjab government's repeated claims of clampdown on such settlements. In Jhampur village, around 25 under-construction houses and other illegal structures were brought down. The GMADA team, led by officer Arvind Pannu, reached the site around 11.30 am and the drive concluded by 4 pm. The drive was also conducted in Phase 3 of the 39 West society, located in Sector 122, Mohali. According to members of the Residents' Welfare Association (RWA), certain colonisers were attempting to illegally extend the colony by carving out additional plots beyond the approved site boundaries, despite the cancellation of their licence. These colonisers had also connected the new plots to water, sewerage and electricity connections from the existing infrastructure. GMADA officials dismantled around seven such structures on Friday. Hirdesh Madan, secretary of the Residents' Welfare Association, 39 West housing society, said, 'We had raised this issue with GMADA several times in the past. We welcome this action against the illegal construction by the builder.' Harinder Pal Singh, district town planner (Regulatory), GMADA, said the demolition drive will continue to remove other illegal settlements. HT had earlier reported that these unauthorised colonies—spread across nearly 50 acres in Sectors 120 to 123 and covering villages such as Daun, Raipur, Behlolpur, Barmajra, Tarauli, and Jhampur—had been carved out of agricultural land without following the mandatory Change of Land Use (CLU) process, which requires significant fees and official permissions. Property dealers have bought fertile agricultural land and divided it into plots ranging from 100 to 150 square yards, selling them to home hopefuls. Following the HT report, the GMADA chief administrator directed the officers concerned to submit a report within two days, after which appropriate action will be taken against the officials responsible. According to a senior GMADA officer, the responsibility did not lie solely with GMADA but also with the district administration. 'Why is land being registered without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from GMADA and why is PSPCL installing power meters in these illegal colonies?' the officer questioned. In August last year, while scrapping the requirement of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for registration of land and property, the Punjab housing and urban development department had directed the chief administrators of regional development authorities across the state to ensure that no illegal colonies are allowed to come up. The authorities were further directed to utilise recent Google satellite imagery to identify illegal constructions and initiate prompt legal action against violators.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Hindustan Times
GMADA's failure to pay ₹100 crore for infra upgrade behind Mohali's power blues
Imagine stepping into your home in pitch black to find that the power is out. You wait for hours, unable to use any appliance, sweating it out without fans and air conditioners, phone battery dying out, but there is no sign of power being restored. For years, this has been the reality for Mohali residents. On Wednesday night too, after the storm, large parts of the districts were left without power for extended periods. In Sectors 91 and 94, power supply remained suspended for nearly 20 hours, and was restored only on Thursday evening. Aerocity, Industrial Area Phase 8-B, and Zirakpur witnessed outages lasting up to 15 hours. All this, due to Greater Mohali Area Development Authority's (GMADA) failure to pay ₹100 crore to the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for the development of crucial infrastructure such as substations, distribution lines, and transmission networks. Mohali's power demand surges to 1,500 megawatts in peak summers, but it has a capacity of only 1,400 megawatts. This leads to overloaded transformers, which often break down, resulting in outages lasting from 4 to 8 hours. Several 66 KV grids, including those in Mullanpur, Bhabhat, Phase 9 (Mohali), and Gillco (Kharar), are currently overloaded, leading to regular rotational cuts. Similar issues persist at grids in Tuer village, Mullanpur, and Seonk due to line overloading. As per GMADA's undertaking to the PSPCL in 2014, all charges related to 66 KV substations, 66 KV transmission lines, 11 KV distribution lines, and upgrade of 220 KV substations, are to be borne by the development authority within its jurisdiction. Accordingly, PSPCL has sent several reminders and held multiple meetings with GMADA for the release of funds to the tune of ₹100 crore, but no tangible progress has been made. Notably, GMADA has already collected the required funds from private builders under the External Development Charges (EDC) over the past several years. This has been seen in the case of Sectors 110, 119, 101, and Aerocity, where 66 KV grids have been planned but GMADA is yet to release payments. In the Kharar and Zirakpur, PSPCL has also been collecting system loading charges from various private developers, but the infrastructure is yet to be upgraded accordingly. According to PSPCL records, 66-kilovolt (KV) grids are to be constructed in Sector 82, 119, 125, Majra, Ansal, Ecocity-2, and Medicity. GMADA chief engineer Anuj Sehgal said the issue is already under discussion. 'We are taking up the matter with the authorities concerned,' he said. Mohali district has nearly 3.5 lakh electricity consumers across various categories, with over 3 lakh falling under the domestic category. Deputy mayor Kuljeet Singh Bedi said life has become increasingly difficult for residents here due to frequent and extended power cuts, with some areas going without electricity for over 24 hours. 'Even newly developed sectors such as 76 to 80, 3B1, TDI, Phase 7, see frequent power disruptions' he said.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Mohali: GMADA to acquire 713 acres for Eco City 3
In a move towards planned urban expansion, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) is set to acquire 713.375 acres of land from multiple villages for the development of Eco City 3 in New Chandigarh. The villages identified for land acquisition include Rasulpur, Salamatpur, Dhodemajra, Takkipur, Rajgarh, Majra, Kartarpur, Kansala, and Hoshiarpur. The land will be acquired under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The area has already been declared a Resettlement Zone. 'This project is a key part of GMADA's strategy to transform New Chandigarh into a world-class city. It will not only offer modern living amenities but also boost the region's economic prospects,' an official said. Simultaneously, the Punjab government has initiated the process to acquire 309 acres in Mullanpur Garibdass village for low- and high-density residential development under the New Chandigarh Master Plan. The acquisition process began through a notification issued on November 15, 2022, under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act. A Social Impact Assessment by Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, emphasised the project's benefits, stating that 'its social advantages far outweigh the costs'. Expert groups also termed the proposed land as 'minimal and essential', highlighting its focus on balanced development and sustainability. Under the Resettlement Policy, affected families will receive a one-time annuity of Rs 5 lakh, a resettlement allowance of Rs 50,000, and complete waivers on stamp duty and registration charges. This policy was officially approved on February 29, 2025.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Mohali: Purab Premium auction turns into another flop show as only 10 of 227 flats gets sold
In another setback for the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), the third e-auction of the high-profile Purab Premium Apartments in Sector 88 failed to generate the expected response. Out of 227 flats on offer, only 10 units were sold, bringing in a modest Rs 11.45 crore in revenue. According to official records, the highest bid came from Joshnoor Singh Brar, who secured a Type 3 flat (3BHK with servant room) for Rs 1,28,79,969.75 (Rs 1.28 crore), making it the costliest sale in this round. The only Type 2 (2BHK) flat was purchased by Parkash Singh for Rs 90,33,501.29 (Rs 90. 33 lakh). Among the remaining successful bidders were Nitin Jain, Harish Kumar, Navdeep Kumar Garg, and Amandeep Singh, all of whom acquired Type 3 flats with per-unit bid values ranging from Rs 39,248.28 to 44,250.42. This was the GMADA's third attempt to sell the project's units through e-auction. A similar exercise in September 2023 offered 550 flats, but attracted only 313 applications, leading to a failed outcome. In the current round, the GMADA listed flats under three categories: Type 1 (1BHK), Type 2 (2BHK with servant room), and Type 3 (3BHK with servant room) priced between Rs 60 lakh to Rs 1.12 crore. Eligibility deposits were set at Rs 5 lakh for Type 1 and Type 2, and Rs 7.5 lakh for Type 3. Successful bidders are required to pay 10 per cent of the bid upfront, followed by 25 per cent before possession, according to the GMADA guidelines. Despite repeated efforts and heavy publicity, the poor response raises serious concerns about pricing, location, and the current demand for premium housing in the Mohali region.
