E-Paper
GMADA in deep slumber as 15 illegal colonies sprout in Mohali
Unauthorised colonies mushrooming on agricultural land in Mohali amid inaction by GMADA, putting homebuyers’ life savings, homes at risk
Despite the Punjab government’s repeated claims of cracking down on unauthorised colonies, nearly 15 illegal colonies have cropped up in Mohali in areas governed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) over the past eight months — in brazen violation of land-use norms, right under the nose of the authority.
Worse, the illegal settlements have been blossoming even after a state-level directive to monitor such activity using satellite imagery and submit quarterly reports on enforcement.
These colonies — spread over about 50 acres in Sectors 120 to 123, covering villages like Daun, Raipur, Behlolpur, Barmajra, Tarauli and Jhampur — have been carved out of agricultural land, bypassing the mandatory Change of Land Use (CLU) process, which involves high fees and government permissions.
Property dealers have bought fertile agricultural land and divided it into plots ranging from 100 to 150 square yards, selling them to unsuspecting, and in some cases well-aware, homebuyers.
GMADA, otherwise strict in enforcement in urban sectors, appears to have turned a blind eye in these rural belts as home dreams are being built on shaky ground.
Shockingly, colonies are coming up brick by brick without any interruption — despite these villages being within the notified Mohali Master Plan area where any construction without approval is illegal.
Buyers, many of whom have poured their life savings into these plots and house construction, now face the threat of demolition.
Some may have knowingly taken the risk, in anticipation of regularisation by future governments, but many have been misled and now stand to lose both property and peace of mind.
“We have already planned a demolition drive but haven’t been able to proceed due to lack of police force. We are hopeful of launching a major operation soon to demolish these illegal colonies,” said Harinder Pal Singh, district town planner (Regulatory), GMADA.
A senior GMADA official added, “We are aware of these unauthorised colonies. There are no basic amenities, and the plots cannot even be registered in the buyers’ names as the colonies are not approved.”
The official further stated that such unauthorised colonies lead to significant revenue loss for the government in terms of external development charges, land use fees, licence fees and the social infrastructure fund—amounting to nearly ₹1 crore.
Even private developers with large land holdings in these areas, including MGF, Emaar, Marbella, and Jubilee, have written to GMADA multiple times urging action, but the authority remains in deep slumber.
Ironically, in August last year, while scrapping the requirement of a no-objection certificate (NOC) for registration of land and property, the Punjab housing and urban development department had directed the chief administrators of regional development authorities across the state to ensure that no illegal colonies are allowed to come up.
Authorities were instructed to monitor recent Google satellite images to identify illegal constructions and take prompt legal action against violators — none of which seem to have been implemented in Mohali.
In the same policy shift, the Punjab government had announced a one-time exemption from the NOC requirement for property owners who could prove the genuineness of their sale deeds executed before July 31, 2024.
