NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) plans to bring 169 villages located at Dadri, Ghaziabad, Sikandarabad and Pilakhua under its jurisdiction. According to sources, approximately 58,000 hectare land is to be acquired from these villages for the GNIDA’s Master Plan-2041. Expected to take care of the city’s needs for the next 20 years, the Master Plan is being prepared on the basis of projected population growth and the needs of industries in Greater Noida.
Considering difficulties in land acquisition, the GNIDA is exploring alternative ways of mobilizing and developing land. “We are studying the advantages of implementing a land pooling policy for developing Greater Noida Phase-II. A decision will be taken in the Board meeting scheduled on May 31,” said Narendra Bhooshan, CEO, GNIDA. In February, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet gave its approval for adopting land pooling policy, in place of land acquisition, across the state.
Under the policy, private developers or even GNIDA may directly acquire land from those farmers/landowners willing to participate in the land pooling scheme, whereby they will get back some percentage of developed land, instead of compensation. Farmers are already unhappy with the low rates they got for land acquired in Greater Noida and nearby areas of the Yamuna Expressway.
Once the scheme is adopted, the GNIDA will utilize 40 per cent of acquired land in developing basic amenities such as roads, parks, hospitals, and schools. The other 40 per cent of the developed land — not less than 25 per cent — will be returned to farmers in the ratio contributed in the pool after checking costs of infrastructure and public/shared spaces.
The remaining portion will be sold off to recover cost on infrastructure and amenities. In short, the scheme is expected to give an impetus to developmental projects without compromising the interests of farmers and landowners.
As developers go vertical to maximize space utilization, realty projects requiring horizontal development such as regional infrastructure development, townships and industrial corridors face challenges, primarily arising from hassle-free acquisition of adequate land. Experts believe land pooling could give the GNIDA options to build sub-cities in urban extension areas.