The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has decided to levy land enhancement cost on residential plots in Sectors 76 to 80, triggering strong resentment among allottees who have been living here for years after fulfilling all dues.
The letter issued by the authority reads that as per an approved agenda, ₹3,164 per square metre will be charged as additional cost from the allottees/transferees of Sectors 76 to 80. This will translate into over ₹6 lakh for plots measuring 8 marlas and nearly ₹4 lakh for 6 marla plots.
Enhancement is the increase in compensation paid to a farmer/landowner for the acquisition of their land, which is decided by a court in case they are not satisfied with the price being offered by the government or its development agency.
The residents of plots/group housing societies built on that land then have to foot the cost of enhancement, a clause included in the allotment letters of these sectors, as per GMADA.
The GMADA letter says that during a meeting held on March 31, the authorities approved the agenda of “Assessment and recovery of additional price from the present allottees, transferees of Sector 76 to 80”.
{{/usCountry}}The GMADA letter says that during a meeting held on March 31, the authorities approved the agenda of “Assessment and recovery of additional price from the present allottees, transferees of Sector 76 to 80”.
{{/usCountry}}Explaining the decision, GMADA chief administrator Amandeep Bansal said during the allotment of plots, the allottees had submitted an undertaking to pay enhancement charges as decided by GMADA.
“These sectors are divided under separate schemes and there are multiple enhancement cases pending in court that take years to settle. As and when a case is settled, a final price of compensation is calculated and the enhancement cost is levied accordingly,” he said.
Terming the decision completely unjustified and unfair, Sucha Singh Kalaur, president of the Sector 76-80 Plot Allotment Sangharsh Committee, said, “Residents are in no position to pay such a huge amount. We are going to submit a representation to the Mohali MLA on Friday. Any compensation disputes are between GMADA and the farmers/landowners. So why are allottees being penalised for no fault?”
He added that if the issue remained unaddressed at the administration level, the association will move court.