Indirapuram handover: Second joint survey ordered to assess infra upgrade

After a recent attempt by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) to push for the handover of Indirapuram locality to the Ghaziabad municipal corporation, preferably before the local body elections that are due any time now, the agencies have decided to hold another joint survey to reassess the funds required for upgrading deficient infrastructure.

A joint committee of officials in January 2022 had said an amount of 288 crore was required to upgrade civic infrastructure and the GDA could either undertake the upgrade itself or hand over the amount to the civic body.

“In a recent development, the GDA and municipal corporation have agreed to conduct a joint inspection for infra related to sewerage, roads, central verges, horticulture, etc. and reassess the funds required for upgrading the amenities. These joint inspections will start next week and reports will be submitted thereafter,” said Nitin Gaur, municipal commissioner.

“In a recent discussion held after GDA’s communication to expedite the handover, the authority had said the sum of 288 crore seemed inflated while our officials maintained that the amount was arrived at by factoring in the lowest expense needed to complete the pending works. So, both agencies agreed to a joint reassessment,” Gaur said.

The Indirapuram locality was developed by GDA about 30 years ago and it has been trying to hand over the locality to the civic body since 2011-12.

Civic officials said there were gaps in certain civic infrastructure related to roads, drains, footpaths and central verge, among others.

On May 21 last year, the municipal corporation board approved a partial takeover of Indirapuram — the corporation could take over horticulture, streetlights and cleaning activities.

However, the assessed amount of 288 crore was not paid by GDA and the takeover was stalled.

“We will conduct joint inspections soon and the funds required for infrastructure upgrade will be freshly assessed. The joint inspection in Indirapuram will assess new funds,” said Rakesh Kumar Gupta, chief engineer, GDA.

“The new joint inspection should be acceptable to both agencies and the authority should pay the funds in time before the corporation takes over the locality. The local body election are due any time now and the new board will be formed thereafter. So, a detailed discussion about the handover should take place in the new board. The authority is trying to pass on its liability to the corporation with incomplete infrastructure. This will affect the corporation’s finances,” said Rajendra Tyagi, former councillor from Raj Nagar.

The five-year term of the corporation house ended at midnight of January 22 this year. The state government later issued directions for the formation of a committee (comprising the district magistrate and corporation officials) to oversee the day-to-day working of the corporation but barred them from taking any policy decision until a new house is elected and convened.