Devp authority’s property attached in 12-year-old compensation case

A local court issued warrants to attach movable property of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority’s (GMADA) Land Acquisition Collector (LAC) office after the authority failed to pay up the enhancement in compensation to the landowners of Sector 97, 106 and 107.

The court had enhanced the compensation by Rs 2.39 crore per acre for the 6.34-acre land acquired in 2013.

Carrying the court order, the land owners reached the GMADA office in Sector 62 along with the drumbeaters (dholi) to express their happiness over the 12-year-old case.

GMADA had acquired the land for public purpose at the expenses of M/s UNITECH Ltd for development of Mega Township Project in Sector 97, 106 and 107 of Mohali. The award was announced on June 28, 2013, with regards to the 6.34-acre land and compensation was enhanced to the tune of Rs 2.39 crore per acre and in addition to the statutory benefits.

GMADA argued that M/s Unitech Ltd has filed an application alongwith the stay application before the Punjab & Haryana High Court against the judgment and decree dated October 29, 2016, which is pending adjudication. However, the court dismissed the objections after finding them devoid of any merits.

The court noted, “The state government is under legal obligation to deposit the amount of compensation so awarded with the executing Court. The decree holders are held entitled to the compensation so awarded and in case of any dispute between M/s Unitech Limited or GMADA, the same is inter-se between them, not affecting the rights of the decree holders. Therefore, the JDs are directed to make the payment of the amount awarded and claimed under the execution petition on August 28, 2025.”

The court directed the bailiff to return the warrant on or before September 3 with the manner in which the order has been executed or why it has not been executed.