Panel for selling 19 acres in Manimajra to lone builder

In a significant departure from the earlier plan, a special committee formed to examine the oustee quota and revised zoning for Pocket No. 6 in Manimajra has recommended to sell all 19 acres in the area to a single builder.

The members of the committee have asked the departments concerned to prepare detailed outlines for the auction of the 19-acre parcel.

Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla had formed the nine-member committee under the chairmanship of Sarabjit Kaur.

Earlier, the Municipal Corporation had finalised terms and conditions to auction over 7.5 acres, spread across five different chunks for a housing society in Pocket No. 6. As per the plan approved by the House, over 7.5 acres of land in five chunks were to be auctioned based on the reserve price, ranging from Rs 125 crore to Rs 217 crore, depending on the size of the land. In the earlier plan, all internal estate services, including roads and public health services (sewerage, storm water and water supply), were to be provided by the civic body.

Members of the committee opined that in case all 19 acres were auctioned to one builder, the MC will not only receive more revenue but will also save on the money to be spent on setting up the infrastructure. Meanwhile, the committee has also sought more information from the departments concerned on issues pertaining to the oustee quota and EWS policy.

Congress and AAP members have already resigned from the committee. Among the officers who attended the meeting today were the MC Joint Commissioner (Incharge, Estate Branch), Chief Engineer, Law Officer, Chief Architect, a representative of Chandigarh Housing Board and a representative of the UT Deputy Commissioner Office/Estate Office.

Opposition stand vindicated: Lucky

HS Lucky, president of the Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee, said with the statement made by the Mayor and the new plan to increase the area for the auction, the stand taken by the opposition has been vindicated. He said it is a victory for the Congress and all opposition councillors, who have consistently maintained that the land in question is not 7.5 acres but much more. Lucky stated that the opposition succeeded in preventing the undervaluation of the land. “We have managed to bring more money for the Municipal Corporation,” he said.

Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh said the development showed that the earlier plan was flawed.