Controversy over auction of LIT’s prime land deepens

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 4

The controversy over the Ludhiana Improvement Trust’s auction of a prime land measuring 16,344 sq yards in Model Town Extension here at “throwaway prices” has deepened.

LIT Chairman Raman Balasubramaniam had earlier given a statement that the reserve price for the auction of the land was approved by a committee, headed by Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma.

However, the Deputy Commissioner said the reserve price was fixed for auctioning of residential plots and commercial built-up booths but not for vacant land measuring 16,344 sq yards at Model Town Extension.

According to the DC, the LIT had sent an agenda (dated December 22, 2020) regarding fixing the reserve price for residential plots and built-up booths (commercial) at Model Town Extension. But, it was not mentioned anywhere in the agenda regarding fixing of the reserve price for any vacant site at Model Town Extension.

On February 15, 2021, the meeting of a committee, led by the DC, was held for fixing the reserve price of LIT properties under various schemes, including the Model Town Extension scheme. Notably, the meeting was also attended by Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, MLA Surinder Dawar, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal.

The DC said the reserve price was fixed at Rs 28,103 per sq yard for residential plots and Rs 56,207 per sq yard was fixed for built-up commercial booths in the Model Town Extension 400-acre scheme.

Now, advocate Bikram Singh Sidhu, a senior BJP leader, today sent a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana, demanding an inquiry and registration of an FIR against the LIT Chairman and those others involved in the alleged land scam.

Terming the land auction as another ‘Ludhiana city centre scam’, Sidhu said the auction of the land was conducted against the standard procedure and the LIT had not got the reserve price fixed for auction from the committee concerned.

In the complaint, Sidhu alleged that it was a scam of Rs 250 crore wherein a prime chunk of land situated on Dugri and Model Town Extension Road was auctioned by the LIT Chairman in connivance with a Cabinet minister of the ruling Congress government to benefit their close associate.

“This fraud not just amounts to cheating with people and the government but also a huge loss to the state exchequer,” he alleged.

He said the prime land was earlier earmarked for SCOs under the proposal of making a food street with an estimated Rs 400 crore revenue generation.

“But, the land was auctioned merely for Rs 98.38 crore. Moreover, the market price of the residential land near the auctioned property is Rs 1,25,000 per sq yard while the price for the commercial land is Rs 2,25,000,” he said.

Sidhu also pointed towards a few more properties allotted through a draw yesterday.

LIT chief denies allegations

On the other hand, LIT Chairman Raman Subramaniam said advocate Bikram Singh Sidhu was levelling false and baseless allegations without producing any evidence. He alleged that Sidhu was concocting false stories. He said the land was auctioned in a transparent manner as per the procedure. The LIT Chairman said the reserve price for the land auction was fixed by a committee led by the DC on February 15, 2021. He further denied the allegations regarding irregularities in the draw for allotment of properties.

AAP seeks probe

AAP leader Ahbaab Singh Grewal said a probe should be conducted into the matter by a central agency in a transparent manner.

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