Noida sets aside ₹60 crore to improve civic amenities in urban villages

The officer on special duty approved the budget after reviewing the ongoing and new work in different areas in villages and rural areas

The Noida authority has approved ₹60 crore to improve civic amenities in the city, particularly in rural areas, said authority officials on Friday. The move is seen as an effort to pacify farmers, who are currently protesting, seeking better benefits for acquired land. They had previously complained of poor civic amenities in villages as compared to urban sectors.

The authority on Thursday also took action against the land mafia in the city’s two villages -- Mohiyapur and Badoli -- along Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

On the instructions of Noida authority chief executive officer Lokesh M, officer on special duty Mahendra Prasad approved ₹60 crore to be spent on different projects related to civil construction work in rural areas, said officials.

The OSD approved the budget after reviewing the ongoing and new work in different areas in villages and rural areas, said officials.

“We have directed the staff to expedite the work on civil construction in villages. The staff of each work circle will do the needful and spend the funds on village development related projects,” said Lokesh M.

Apart from that, the authority on Thursday also took action against the land mafia in the city’s two villages -- Mohiyapur and Badoli -- along Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

The authority freed up around 10,000 square metre land in these two villages, where the land mafia was found grabbing notified land kept aside for taking up planned development, said officials.

The officials further said the authority wants planned development in villages so that the quality of civic amenities is not affected by land grabbing.

The authority team freed up 2,000 square metres of land meant for planned development in Mohiyapur village located along Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

A team from the authority’s land and work circle department reached the spot and demolished the boundary wall around the land that is worth an estimated ₹4 crore at current market rates . The land mafia were carrying out the construction of illegal projects on this 2000 square metre land, said officials.

In the second drive, the authority, along with police, freed up 8,700 square metres of land that was grabbed by anti-socials by constructing the boundary wall in Badoli village, said officials.

“When we started demolishing the boundary wall, at least 25 people attacked our team and tried to stop the drive. We have filed police complaints against them,” said Mahendra Prasad, OSD, Noida authority.