The Yamuna Expressway Authority is conducting a survey to review 36 land acquisition attempts that could not materialise. The move aims to increase the Authority’s land bank and check illegal construction activities.
Initiated in 2012, over 6,317 hectares of land were to be acquired across 36 villages, according to official data. Much of this land is in various blocks of Sectors 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, and 24.
YEIDA CEO Arun Vir Singh said, “In most cases, the land acquisition process never progressed beyond the planning stage. Several parcels of land have been acquired from these villages, but the current effort seeks to ensure that all land designated for development is properly secured.”
Around the time when the land acquisition was initiated, farmers were protesting against the process due to low compensation rates. Many farmers took their grievances to the Allahabad High Court, which resulted in stay orders halting the acquisitions.
In response to the agitation, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in Sept 2011 and came into effect on 1 Jan 2014.
The survey also aims to check encroachment and individuals who sell plots of land illegally.
Two months ago, YEIDA issued notices to over 300 encroachers in various areas, including Jewar and Jahangirpur in GB Nagar, Mathura, Tappal in Aligarh, and Jhajar in Bulandshahr, instructing them to remove encroachments. To prevent further illegal activities on these lands, officials said land acquisition fences and notice boards will be erected.
Following the completion of the survey, the Authority plans to launch various projects, including residential and group housing developments and transport initiatives.
