In Faridabad, 150 acres of govt land encroached upon, drive soon

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Faridabad, March 22

The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) has announced that next month, it would launch a drive to reclaim 150 acres of its land under illegal occupation for long.

Amit Kumar Gulia, Estate Officer, HSVP, has confirmed this.

The encroached upon land is located in newly carved out Sectors 62, 64, 65, 75, 76, 77, 78 and 80, and many pockets of old sectors such as 21 (A, B, C), 45, 46 and 48. Some of the unsold plots, including commercial ones, are also under illegal occupation, say sources. Several acres of prime land in Sectors 20-A and 20-B have also been encroached upon, it is claimed. Besides, land in sectors adjoining Mewla Maharajpur village is under illegal occupation.

Varun Sheokand, who had filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against encroachment a few years ago, said: “Several green belts in the city have been encroached upon.”

The market rate of the land is reported to be between Rs 25 crore and Rs 30 crore per acre.

The enforcement branch of the HSVP head office had sent a reminder to its offices in Faridabad and Gurugram on February 3, seeking an action-taken report on a complaint lodged by a local resident about the violation of building bylaws and encroachment of green belts in residential sectors.

The HSVP had, in 2021, launched a drive to reclaim land worth more than Rs 200 crore. It had removed more than 125 structures in Sectors 20A and 20B then. Subsequently, the land was again encroached upon because of lack of vigil, it is alleged. Illegal colonies have also come up on government land. Action in some of the case is pending due to legal hurdles.

Estate Officer Gulia said, “The drone survey is complete. Possession of land, against which compensation has been released, is under process. As all old sectors are under the purview of the Municipal Corporation, the responsibility to remove encroachments, if any, falls on the civic body.”

Action pending due to legal hurdles

• Green belts in residential areas and unsold plots, including commercial ones, are under illegal occupation
• Illegal colonies have come up on government land; action in some of the cases is pending due to legal hurdles
• The market rate of the land is reported to be between Rs 25 crore and Rs 30 crore per acre

Onus on Civic body

As all old sectors in Faridabad are under the purview of the Municipal Corporation. The responsibility to remove encroachments, if any, falls on the civic body. Amit Kumar Gulia, estate officer, hsvp