Encroachments over HEC land, where various institutional buildings are likely to come up, are proving to be a roadblock for the Smart City plan, cleared by the Centre for the State capital.
The institutions otherwise operating from temporary establishments have been allotted nearly 88 acres of land in the HEC area for this purpose.
Some of the major institutions having got allotted land over there are the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), NABARD, DVC, CPDW, IIM, Census office, Geological Survey of India, CBI, Passport office, State level Banker’s Committee and so on. Notably, the Smart City is coming up on 341 acres of greenfield site at HEC.
As per the proposal, RBI has sought just over four acres of land in the HEC while NABARD 2.34 acre, DVC 2.75 acre and CPDW 3.22 acre. IIM, Ranchi placed a need for 60 acres. Though, CBI has been allotted two acres which is said to be insufficient for building its offices and residential quarters.
In some cases the institutions have even made or agreed to make payment that was sought by the Government against the land but of little use.
In order to conduct banking services in the State smoothly, the matter had been raised in SlBC meetings where barring some assurances not much progress has been made. "We raised the issue with the Government on many occasions that the plot allocated to us is under illegal encroachment. Few attempts to vacate the land under siege have failed and we have written to the district administration. Since no progress has been made we would raise the matter before the Chief Minister as our meeting is scheduled anytime soon," said a top official of NABARD in Ranchi requesting anonymity.
Similar is the case with the RBI which is looking to shift to a dedicated building sooner than later in the wake of its growing activities in the State.
"The RBI has expanded its activities in Jharkhand and now even independent Banking Ombudsman is here as well separate from Patna. We had written on many occasions to the administration to clear the 4.4 acre land allotted from encroachment by a piggery unit. After much delay it is being told that the occupants have been removed. But actual possession on ground is yet to be taken. We are waiting for go ahead from our head office," said Patrik Barla, General Manager of the regulating bank.
As many as 15 institutions have been allotted land in the HEC area under the new capital. "There are some unauthorised settlements in the area which are being cleared as per the request coming and the case. We have come across an issue relating to the IIM's land over which a high tension power transmission line is passing. The concerned department has been written about that," said Ranchi DC Manoj Kumar.
However, there are several institutions as well where transfer of land is pending in the want of money to be paid in return. RBI, following the plot got cleared, is still in the process of getting the amount sanctioned from its head office. Hudco due to its inability to pay the desired amount has lost the land over there.