GDA to crack down on commercial activities in residential areas

After the last month's Supreme Court orders banning banks and nursing homes from residential areas of Noida, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) plans to reinitiate action against bank branches in areas under its jurisdiction.

After the last month's Supreme Court orders banning banks and nursing homes from residential areas of Noida, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) plans to reinitiate action against bank branches in areas under its jurisdiction.

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Earlier in April 2010, the authority had issued notices to the residential property owners who had rented out their premises to different private and nationalised banks in the city areas and had asked to shift bank branches to commercial areas.

"After our earlier action, some branches shifted while majority of them obtained stay orders from the high court. In view of recent Supreme Court orders relating to Noida, we plan to move to high court and request to vacate the stay orders," GDA vice-chairman Narendra Kumar Chaudhary told HT.

As per GDA estimate, around 45 such bank branches are still operating in residential areas of Ghaziabad city. In April 2010, the authority had issued notices to 62 property owners who lend their premises for commercial activity. GDA now plans to re-initiate its move.

The city has seen tremendous growth in hospital, nursing homes, banks, shops, offices etc. in residential areas which has altered the very nature and purpose of planned residential areas. The residents are of view that other commercial operations in residential areas should also be curbed.

"The commercial activities are on rise in residential areas. It is just because of faulty planning during the development stages that such provisions are not clearly made for separate commercial areas. The authority should initiate proper action against other commercial activities in residential areas too," said SK Maheshwari, a Surya Nagar resident.