F’bad allottees peeved as HSIIDC hikes cost of ind’l plots by 31.25%

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Tribune News Service

Faridabad, February 5

Several allottees of industrial plots in the HSIIDC’s Industrial Model Township (IMT) here are a worried lot. They have received notices to deposit the enhanced rate of their plots soon, which is up to 31.25 per cent of the cost they have already paid.

“We have already paid enhanced rate of around 24.44 per cent after the HSIIDC started the allotment of plots in 2012. Now, around 340 plot holders have been issued notices to deposit Rs 3,507 per square metre as enhanced rate of the properties,” said PS Sarna, president, IMT Industrialists Association.

“The hike is a cause of concern as it comes to 31.25 per cent of the cost we have already paid. With the fresh increase, the cost of the plot has gone up by a whopping 63 per cent as this is the third such increase in the past four years,” he said, adding that the first hike of Rs 1,000 per square metre came at the time of allotment itself as the entrepreneurs were asked to pay at the rate of Rs 10,000 per square metre instead of Rs 9,000 as mentioned in the application brochure. The second hike was of Rs 1,400 per square metre imposed about two years ago when the farmers whose land was acquired reportedly won the enhancement case in the district court.

Vikas Chaudhary, AGM, HSIIDC, said the notices were in the wake of the recent order of the High Court as it ruled in the favour of farmers seeking hike in land acquisition price. Claiming that no further enhancement was expected, he said the IMT had already allotted as many as 500 plots out of the total 852 available here. He said applications have been invited for allotment of the remaining plots.

The IMT located in Sectors 68 and 69 here is spread over an area of 1,700 acres.

Seeking withdrawal of the enhancement clause, Navdeep Chawla, president, Faridabad Industries Association, said this had adversely affected the survival or functioning of the units prompting many allottees to surrender their properties.

3rd rate increase in 4 yrs: Industrialists’ body chief

With the fresh increase, the cost of the plot has gone up by 63 per cent as this is the third such increase in the past four years. The first hike of Rs 1,000 per square metre came at the time of allotment itself as the entrepreneurs were asked to pay at the rate of Rs 10,000 per square metre instead of Rs 9,000 as mentioned in the application brochure. The second hike was of Rs 1,400 per square metre imposed about two years ago. —PS Sarna, President, IMT industrialists Association