10,000 illegal houses come up near Yamuna in 10 years

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Faridabad, November 28

The illegal colonisation in the catchment or adjoining areas on the bank of the Yamuna river and semi-urban areas in Faridabad district threatens to derail the planned development under the 2031-Master Plan of the region, it is reported.

The illegal colonisation in the region close to the banks of the Yamuna from Delhi border in Faridabad had been going on despite a ban on such activity, according to sources.

More than 10,000 houses may have come up in such colonies located in the catchment and the nearby villages in the district in the past 10 years, resulting in rampant violation of norms.

The majority of buyers of plots, who are migrants from other states, have failed to get the basic amenities like water, sewerage and roads despite paying rates ranging between Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 per sq yard, reveal sources.

“While a rate of around Rs 12,000 per sq yard was charged, no basic amenity was provided for a 50 sq yard plot at a colony near Basantpur village,” said a resident on the condition of anonymity.

“Hundreds of plots have either been carved out or sold in the past one year in the colonies located near Basantpur, Alia Farms, Noor Nagar, Dadasiya Lalpur, Sadola, Tilori, Tilpat and Alipur villages located on the eastern fringe of the city, but falling within civic limits,” says Paras Bhardwaj, a social activist.

Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) had served notice to hundreds of houses in Basantpur village this year after flood water had entered some of the colonies located near the river bank.

Over 550 unauthorised colonies had been detected in a survey in 2021 by the Department of Town and Country Planning. As many as 186 out of the total of 236 colonies recommended for regularisation are located within civic limits, it is revealed.

“The action taken against the offenders had been very minimal compared to the scale of illegal colonisation,” says Varun Sheokand, a resident.

He said the recent announcement by the CM to declare the region adjoining the Yamuna as controlled area has also exposed the illegal colonisation nexus operating in the belt. The unplanned growth of residential colonies threatens to hit the Master Plan of the district, he said.

Rajender Sharma, District Town Planner (Enforcement), said while action against illegal colonisation is taken as soon as any incident is reported, such activity is taken care of by the MC.

Plot buyers a harassed lot

The majority of plot buyers of plots, mostly migrants from other states, have failed to get the basic amenities like water, sewerage and roads despite paying rates ranging between Rs 5,000 and Rs 15,000 per sq yard, reveal sources.