After 14-yr battle, homebuyers relieved as HC dismisses farmers’ plea against Yeida

Yeida said on Friday that the high court’s refusal to quash the land acquisition would significantly benefit property buyers and allow the staff to complete the unfinished infrastructure projects

In a significant relief to homebuyers and business people who were unable to take possession of their respective plots in new sectors of the Yamuna Expressway, the Allahabad high court on Thursday dismissed the petitions of farmers, who claimed that Yeida had forcefully acquired their land for developmental purposes.

The move will assist Yeida in acquiring land, developing infrastructure, and providing possession to thousands of property buyers suffering for the past 14 years. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The farmers had filed writs to halt the land acquisition by Yeida (Yamuna Expressway industrial development authority) because the “urgency clause” was used to acquire agriculture land in 2009 and 2012 forcefully, but the court had not granted them any relief.

Yeida said on Friday that the high court’s refusal to quash the land acquisition would significantly benefit property buyers and allow the staff to complete the unfinished infrastructure projects in dozens of sectors.

“The high court order will help us resolve land disputes, complete stalled projects, and provide possession to at least 5,500 plot owners affected by legal wranglings. We will now pay the compensation and distribute the plots to the farmers following the court order, paving the way for the completion of the incomplete road, park, sewer, drain, and other works,” said Arun Vir Singh, chief executive officer of Yeida on Friday.

The move will assist Yeida in acquiring land, developing infrastructure, and providing possession to thousands of property buyers suffering for the past 14 years.

Approximately 100 farmers in 2009 filed 25 writs from nine villages, including Kadalpur, Rustampur, Dungarpur, and Rampur Bangar, among others. On June 1, 2023, the Allahabad high court reserved the order, which was officially released on June 1, 2023. For a decade, approximately 20% of the land in these nine villages was under litigation, affecting development work and the interests of those who had purchased plots in government schemes.

“Subject to the above observations and directions, we dismiss all the writ petitions in this bunch while rejecting the challenge to the acquisition notification under sections 4 and 6 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, read with sections 17 (1) and 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894,” said the order of bench justices Vipin Chandra Dixit and Sunita Agarwal.

The court also said that regardless of whether these farmers challenged the land acquisition, they are entitled to higher 64% land compensation and 7% of total land acquired as residential plots.

Due to the 14-year land dispute over patches of land, many basic civic works such as parks, roads, water supply, and others were disrupted, causing problems for property buyers. According to officials, the problems will be resolved in sectors 17, 18, 20, 22D, and 22E, among others.

“For 14 years, we have been waiting for basic services in Sector 18. Unfortunately, many people could not take possession of their plots due to a court dispute. We hope the issues are now resolved,” said plot owner Varun Kumar.

Meanwhile, farmers said Yeida should distribute the land compensation and plots as soon as possible. “We hope that Yeida will grant us the increased 64% land compensation as well as the 7% residential plots as soon as possible,” said Mukesh Singh, a farmer from Rustampur village.