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Illegal constructions in Ghaziabad: Property owners to bear cost of demolition, GDA fixes charges
Next week onwards, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will start charging property owners for demolition of illegal constructions. The authority has also
Next week onwards, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will start charging property owners for demolition of illegal constructions. The authority has also fixed prices for floor-wise demolitions. Officials said they have about 7,993 illegal properties on their radar as of March 31, 2019.
Officials said that they will launch demolition drives in different areas, and have chalked out programs, where the demolition agency and GDA officials along with civil police will carry regularly demolish illegal constructions that have been taken up without any layout map approval from the GDA.
“In cases where machines are used, we will charge ₹1,750 per square metre for demolition of illegal constructions on the ground floor and up to two more storeys (first and second floors). From the fourth storey onwards, we will charge ₹2,400 per square metre of demolition. We will also add administrative charges and will give the bill to the property owner,” said SC Chaubey, the authority’s officer on special duty.
“On the other hand, if the demolition is to be done manually, we will be charge ₹3,800 per square metre of demolition, irrespective of ground floor or further storeys. Administrative charges will be added in this case as well. If the amount remains unpaid, we will issue recovery certificates, and the amount will be recovered as revenue through the district magistrate,” Chaubey added.
Since the building collapse at Akash Nagar in July 2018, the authority has initiated renewed drives to demolish illegal constructions. The Akash Nagar building collapse had led to two deaths and injuries to eight persons.
For the financial year 2019-20, the authority identified about 954 illegal constructions and demolished 310 of these so far. However, property owners were not charged for the demolitions.
Officials also cite the shortage of police staff during demolition drives.
“The demolition drive will be renewed after a private agency has been hired. The agency will bring in advanced equipment to demolish illegal constructions. In case the agency arrives at a selected area but no demolition can be taken up on a particular day, the authority will pay ₹40,000 per day as penalty to the agency,” an officer from authority’s enforcement department said.
According to the GDA, the major illegal constructions are prevalent at the Hindon river’s flood zone areas near Indirapuram, Vijay Nagar, as well as in areas adjacent to NH-9, Akash Nagar, Loni, Indirapuram, Vaishali and Masuri and areas near Delhi-Meerut Road.
