Greater Mohali Area Development Authority’s (GMADA) plans to acquire 2,600 acres under the new land pooling policy for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development is facing stiff opposition with only 15 out of over 8,000 landowners consenting to participate. Several farmers have launched a protest, stating that the acquisition is forced and the compensation being offered to them is below prevailing market rates.
On July 7, farmers submitted a memorandum to chief minister Bhagwant Mann through the GMADA chief administrator, demanding an immediate rollback of the scheme and several panchayats have passed resolutions against land pooling.
Punjab housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, however, said the land acquisition will start within three to four months. When asked about the poor response—only 15 applications—Mundian said he would “check the data and revert,” but maintained that the new policy is designed for the farmers’ benefit.
Last month, GMADA’s executive committee gave formal approval for acquiring 2,600 acres across Mohali – 236 acres in Sector 87 for commercial use, 313 acres in Sector 84 for institutional development, 321 acres in Sectors 101 and 103 for industrial projects, and 1,800 acres in Sectors 120 to 125 along the PR-7 road for residential development
Harvinder Singh, lambardar of one of the villages that is against the plans, said, “We are the rightful residents and cultivators of these lands. We do not consent to register our land with GMADA.”
{{/usCountry}}Harvinder Singh, lambardar of one of the villages that is against the plans, said, “We are the rightful residents and cultivators of these lands. We do not consent to register our land with GMADA.”
{{/usCountry}}Farmers are also apprehensive in view of the past issues. They cited the Aerocity project, where land was acquired in 2009, but many landowners are yet to receive full compensation or plot allotments. “If the government charges 18% interest for delayed payments from citizens, why aren’t farmers compensated with interest for delays in allotments?” they stated in their memorandum.
Protesters also accused GMADA of favouring private developers in past projects. In the case of the Aerotropolis project, they allege that land was handed over to builders and politically connected individuals, who are now selling luxury apartments at premium prices, while farmers were allotted plots in underdeveloped areas lacking even basic infrastructure.
“Private builders have built high-rises and are selling them at crores. We got nothing but barren land with no roads, sewerage, or electricity,” said a local farmer.
The farmers further raised concerns about land acquired for Sectors 88 and 89 in 2011, claiming they were later allotted plots in Sectors 95-A and 95-B, which remain largely undeveloped. “The booths and rooms allotted to us are unusable—we can’t even rent them for another 15 years,” another protester added.