The Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) is set to auction two plots in Chandkheda town planning scheme 44 despite not having possession of one of the plots. One plot still belongs to private landowners and Auda has not officially taken possession of the plot even after including them in the TP scheme and earmarking them as plots for commercial sale.
Sources in Auda said that recently, Dubai-based LuLu Group International, which runs a hypermarket and shopping mall chain internationally, had shown interest in purchasing two plots in Chandkheda T which are adjacent to SP Ring Road.
Soon after the firm’s willingness to procure these two plots measuring about 80,000 sq metres combined, the civic body officials got these plots evaluated and the Auda board during its meeting on September 29, gave powers to Auda chairman to conduct auction of these two plots.
Sources said that decades ago, Sardar Sarovar Nigam Ltd had acquired this land from villagers near Chandkheda for the canal from private landowners. However, some of the land parcels acquired were not used for the construction of the canal.
When market rates of the land started rising, some of the original owners of the land acquired by SSNL had approached court seeking repossession of their land which remained unutilized. However, the government had later handed over the unutilized land to Gujarat Housing Board.
Later, Adua drafted Chandkheda T which covered land belonging to SSNL and GHB. The land that was taken from GHB was earmarked as final plot 226 and 227 and GHB was given land to somewhere else in exchange.
While Auda has possession of final plot (FP) 226, the possession of FP 227 which measures 21,685 sq metres is not with Auda and there is a legal dispute between the SSNL and the original landowners.
Without caring to find out whether the civic body has possession of this plot, Auda officials got these two plots evaluated which showed that the prevailing market value is about Rs 80,000 per sq metre.
Sources said that why Auda officials showed such a hurry in getting these two plots evaluated has raised many eyebrows as it may lead to further legal dispute.
