GMADA drive to remove encroachments from 200-acre land in Mohali to commence May 2

GMADA will remove encroachments and between Chilla Khurd to Raipur Kalan, Mohali, and Eco-city acquired for the Dasmesh Link canal and metro train projects respectively

Swinging into action at last, Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) will begin its drive to clear around 200 acres of land for the Dasmesh Link canal, metro project and underdeveloped parks vacated on Monday.

GMADA will commence a drive to remove encroachments from 200 acres of land in Mohali. (HT File)

GMADA had, way back in 2013, acquired around 105 acres of land for the Dasmesh Link canal, Chilla Khurd village to Raipur Kalan, covering Sectors 80 to Sector 106, but the Supreme Court put a stay order on the project in July 2017.

Farmers have been using parts of the land that falls under the belt for agricultural purposes since.

GMADA, around 12 years ago, had similarly acquired around 19 acres of land in eco-city for the metro train project. The project, however, was also shelved.

People have also encroached upon the land earmarked for underdeveloped parks, especially in the new GMADA

sectors.

Speaking of the drive, GMADA estate officer Mankanwal Singh Chahal said, “We will begin our drive from Monday and get all our land vacated. In some places, people have gone on to encroach upon the said land and are using it for agricultural purposes.”

In October 2020, Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Mohali municipal corporation and GMADA to remove all encroachments from public spaces along roads and in commercial and residential areas within six months, but concerned authorities had failed to do so because of the Covid pandemic.

Seven days on, GMADA without CA

Meanwhile, GMADA finds itself operating without a chief administrator for seven days for the first time. Chief administrator (CA) Vipul Ujwal was on April 25 transferred and posted as special secretary of water supply and sanitation and the state government has not appointed a replacement since. No additional charge has been given either.

The land acquisition officer (LAC) Jagdish Singh Johal also retired on April 29 and no charge has been given.

GMADA was constituted under the provisions of Section 29(1) of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995 for the development and redevelopment of the areas of Mohali, Banur, Zirakpur, Derabassi, Kharar, Mullanpur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mandi Gobindgarh and Roopnagar.