City on a development fast track
In its bid to put the development of the city on fast track, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) passed 26 proposals in its board meeting on Friday. The proposals are aimed at boosting the sale of GDA-owned properties. Addressing the media after the board meeting, GDA vice-chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said quality organisations were invited to enhance the image of the city.
The board cleared a proposal to sell a group housing plot measuring 16,200 sq. m to National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) in Koyal Enclave. It is a remote area and the involvement of NBCC would provide leverage in selling other properties. In addition to NBCC, the board has cleared a proposal to sell a plot measuring 21,800 sq. m to the Delhi Metro Welfare Organisation (DMWO) in the same newly-developed township towards loni, the VC said.
The board further cleared a proposal to allot a plot to DMRC staff and officers in the same Koyal Enclave where NBCC and DMWO were allotted plots. This plot is being allotted since GDA had committed it way back in 2006 when DMRC opened its route in Vaishali. Then the GDA signed an agreement with DMRC to provide a 1.5 acre land for residential houses to DMRC staffers in Kaushambi or Vaishali. But the promise was not fulfilled; now again when DMRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in its second phase project from Dilshad Garden to New Bus Stand, they reminded GDA about the old agreement. The GDA board approved to provide 6,400 sq. m size plot in Koyal Enclave free of cost to fulfil the old promise, Yadav added.
The board further approved to liberalise its strict policies of security deposits from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 lakh for plot size 2,000 sq. m and above. To woo developers, the board further exempted levy corner charges and infrastructure charges being charged at 10 per cent. The board further liberalised to accommodate more allottees by bringing down plot size from 112.5 sq. m to 90 sq. m. The GDA board further approved to review the Master Plan 2021. In addition to the image building measures, the board had tried to simplify the procedures and loosen its grip over market forces.
The GDA sanctioned Rs 166 crore to strengthen the city’s infrastructure that include a service road on Hindon Canal, expanding the bridge over Hindon Canal, building a U-turn before Thakur Dwara and construction of a grid separator on Meerut tripoint. A total 38 proposals were placed before the board and 26 were passed.
The District Magistrate Vimal Kumar Sharma, Municipal Commissioner RK Singh and officers from UPSIDC, State chief town planner were among the board members in addition to the elected ones.