PUDA ‘sells’ Patiala residents’ land for elevated road

Manish Sirhindi

Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 9

A major goof-up by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) that went ahead and accepted compensation for land acquired by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in Urban Estate (UE) Phase I for the construction of an elevated road has left the local residents shocked since the land in question is on which they have built their houses.

A construction company has already started digging the foundation for the project near their houses and has even put up markers that lay out the route of the elevated road, which passes through their houses.

The Resident Welfare Association (11-6 acre scheme) of the UE said in 2013, PUDA had issued a notification regarding acquisition of their properties. However, in the notification, their houses were shown as barren land which was later acquired for the road.

Karnail Singh, general secretary of the association, said, “We came to know about the acquisition of our houses only after the staff of the construction company came here a few days ago and started digging.”

As per the original plan drafted in 2008, the road was nowhere near their houses. However, the authorities altered this plan and the NHAI went ahead with acquisition of their ‘houses’ without issuing any notice to them.

Information sought under RTI Act revealed that the Patiala Development Authority (earlier known as Punjab Urban Development Authority, Patiala) wrote to the Land Acquisition Collector –cum- SDM in April last year claiming that it had received a payment of Rs 9.98 crore towards compensation for the land acquired.

However, instead of challenging the same, they demanded an enhancement in compensation for developing the land in question.

The PDA in the same letter admitted that it had carved out 21 residential plots on this piece of land out of which 11 had been allotted to the public, of which nine plot holders had even got the properties registered in their name.

It also came to light that in March last year, the then Deputy Commissioner wrote a letter to Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal urging that the earmarked land for the elevated road should not affect the residents living there.

Karnail Singh said all the paper work was merely eyewash as the construction of the road through their houses had already begun.

PUDA Chief Administrator AK Sinha said he was not aware of the of the matter but claimed that it was impossible for any agency to acquire constructed houses.

On the other hand, Additional Chief Administrator of the PDA, said that PUDA and Patiala DC have already written to the NHAI not to go ahead with the construction of the road. When apprised about the ground reality, he stated that he would personally visit the spot and stop any activity that affected the houses or its occupants.