Noida to buy 500 acres to raise new industrial sectors

The Noida authority has decided to purchase directly from farmers at least 500 acres of land along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway for developing new industrial sectors, officials in the know of the matter have said, adding that if the farmers will not give land willingly, then the authority will seek the help of Gautam Budh Nagar district administration to acquire the land under the land Act of 2013.

The officials said at least 500 acres is required to complete the basic infrastructure works in the city, including roads, parks and drainage system, etc. in sectors 145, 146, 162, and 164 falling between the Yamuna and the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

“We have directed the land department and work circles to co-ordinate with farmers and start purchasing the land. According to a rough estimate, at least 500 acres is needed to complete developmental work in these sectors,” said Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer, Noida authority.

However, purchasing the land is not going to be easy as the land owners, including farmers, do not want to sell their land to the authority as it offers only a rate of 5,324 per square metre (sqm).

“The rate of 5,324 per sqm is way too low when compared to the market rates in the area. As a result, no farmer wants to give to land to the authority until it increases the rates,” said Umesh Kumar, a farmer from Mangroli village.

The authority said if the farmers will not agree to sell their land in a direct purchase process then, then it will acquire the required land after implementing the Land Act of 2013 .The only catch is that acquisition will be a more drawn out process.

“We need to acquire this land compulsorily because it is needed of our well-planned zones, which are meant for industrial and other activities. If the farmers will refuse to give land through direct purchasing, then we will have to acquire it. If we do not acquire this land, then it will be used for constructing illegal buildings defeating the purpose of the planned development,” said Maheshwari.

The Uttar Pradesh government on April 17, 1976, formed New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (Noida) and developed around 20000 hectares of agricultural land between Delhi and Greater Noida. However, some parts of the agricultural land is yet to be acquired because the farmers refused to part ways with their ancestral land.

“As per the Land Act,2013 the government needs to seek consent from at least 70% of farmers, whose land is to be acquired in a particular area. If it fails to get the consent of more than 70% land owners, it cannot acquire the land. Therefore acquiring the land from farmers in Noida in the given circumstances will not be easy,” said Sushil Bhati ex-president of bar association of Gautam Budh Nagar district courts.The Noida authority has recently allotted industrial land to corporate houses in these sectors where it needs to acquire the land. Not acquiring the land patches in these sectors will affect the planned development, officials said.

“The authority’s land department has started meeting farmers to persuade them to sell the land. Let’s see if we will be able to buy the land or not. Unless these patches are acquired. most of the roads, parks or other infrastructure in these sectors will not be ready for public use,” said a Noida authority official, requesting anonymity.

“The Noida authority and the Gautam Budh Nagar administration must acquire or buy the land patches between the planned sectors as these are disrupting the construction of roads, parks and other projects. The government bodies must acquire this land at the earliest or allow planned development,” said Sunil Kumar, who has a plot in Sector 145, an area where there is interrupted development owing in non acquisition of land.

“The legal issues between the farmers and the Noida authority over the land has remained unresolved for decades affecting the development of Noida. The errors of the past are hampering the development even now. It is high time the authority resolves these issues now,” said Atul Gupta Noida, zone president, Uttar Pradesh architects and town planners’ association.