The ‘Aerotropolis’ township, which was to be launched in May this year, is set to see a delay of another six months as a case regarding around 250 acres under the project is pending in the court.
The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has sent the case of landlords of around 250 acres to the court as they had got their land registered after notification of Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act. The Act pertains to preliminary notification for acquiring land and calling objections from landowners.
GMADA chief administrator Amandeep Bansal said, “We will launch the scheme only after the outcome of the court. We are hopeful it will be soon.”
A senior GMADA official, associated with the project, said, “Aerotropolis, which is the seventh independent township of GMADA, was to be launched at a cost of ₹33,000 per square yard in May but we will have to revise the cost of the scheme as collector rates have increased.”
He added that it may take another six months for the launch of the scheme.
The 1,653-acre township is an extension of GMADA’s Aerocity and will comprise both residential and commercial spaces. Situated in the vicinity of Chandigarh International Airport, it will come up on both sides of the Zirakpur-Banur road. There are around 8,500 residential plots, ranging from 100 square yards to 2,000 square yards. GMADA will be developing four pockets, A, B, C, and D.
It has already issued letters of intent (LOI) for around 1,000 acres.
On June 6, Punjab chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann had said the proposed township will provide affordable housing to people of tricity.
GMADA had started the process of land acquisition for Aerotropolis in May 2017. Of 1,653 acres, owners of 1,456 acres have applied for land pooling. As per an amendment in the land pooling policy in August last year, the Punjab government has decided to give 1,000 square yards of developed residential plots and 200 square yards of commercial plots, excluding parking, instead of cash compensation for every one acre acquired from landowners.
GMADA had announced land compensation for 1,600 acres in 11 villages in February last year. While 1,400 acres is privately owned, what remains constitutes panchayat land. The land is being acquired in Bakarpur, Rurka, Safipur, Matran, Siaun, Manauli, Patton, Saini Majra, Chau Majra, Naraingarh, and Chhat villages. The compensation ranges from ₹1.82 crore to ₹4 crore per acre, the highest provided by GMADA to date.
