Govt reaches agreement with Doon Tea Company

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, December 3

The state government has reached an agreement with Dehradun Tea Company (DTC) for the procurement of 1,200 acres of tea garden land at a price of Rs 1,728 crore for the smart city project to come up on the Shimla Bypass.

On the other hand, the talks for purchasing 700 acres owned by East Hope Town Tea Company failed as the company did not agree to the price quoted by the government according to the land acquisition rates.

Both tea companies own nearly 2,000 acres at Tea Garden Estate on Shimla Bypass, where the government is planning its smart city project.

Meenakshi Sundaram, nodal officer for the project and Secretary, Housing, said the government had held talks with both companies. “We were able to reach an agreement with the DTC, which agreed on a price that is 2 per cent less than the land acquisition rates. The company has submitted the necessary papers. However, the agreement could not be reached with East Hope Town Tea Company which was quoting a higher price than the land acquisition rates that comes to around Rs 550 crore. The company was demanding Rs 880 crore,” added Sundaram.

The government will present the approval letter for the sale of land handed over by Dehradun Tea Company (DTC) at the HUDCO board meeting in New Delhi on December 4 for the approval of loan the government plans to take for purchasing the land. Though Uttarakhand plans to set up the smart city on 1,200 acres, its requirement of additional land from East Hope Town Tea Company is aimed at developing a land pool for future expansion. Further, a certain percentage of the funds would go towards the welfare of workers.

Talks fail with East Hope Town Tea Company

The talks for purchasing 700 acres  owned by East Hope Town Tea Company failed as it did not agree to the price quoted by the government according to the land acquisition rates.  Both the tea companies own nearly 2,000 acres at Tea Garden Estate on the Shimla Bypass, where the government is planning its smart city project.