GDA to be renamed Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority

The authority’s jurisdiction has been reduced from the whole district to only the metropolitan area

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced after a meeting in Chandigarh on Wednesday that the proposed Gurugram development authority (GDA) will be renamed as Gurugram metropolitan development authority (GMDA). With the renaming, the authority’s jurisdiction has been reduced from the whole district to only the metropolitan area.

The authority’s jurisdiction has been reduced from the whole district to only the metropolitan area (Parveen Kumar/HT Representative Picture)

“The authority will now look after a specific area demarcated as metropolitan and that is why renaming decision was taken,” said Rao Narbir Singh, PWD minister, who was present in the meeting. He said earlier it was decided to include the entire district in the authority’s jurisdiction, but now only the area marked as metropolitan would come under it. Singh said one more meeting would be held soon to finalise the authority.

The meeting on Wednesday was held to discuss jurisdiction, structure, and powers of the proposed authority. Khattar said the authority will provide a push to quick approval of different kinds of infrastructural and other works at the local level.

Officials tasked with work for formation of the authority had submitted the GDA draft bill on December 8. The bill was prepared and later modified in consultation with representatives of residents’ welfare associations, industries, and various other sectors.

The government had appointed senior IAS officer V Umashankar as officer-on-special-duty for the authority in October. For establishment of the authority, Umashankar was tasked with preparing the GDA draft bill in consultation with the public and prepare draft rules for consideration of the government.

The CM had on September 5 officially announced formation of an integrated authority for Gurgaon for speedy development of the city.

Officials present in the meeting observed that the authority would help avoid overlapping in functional and operational responsibilities and provide functional empowerment in administrative and financial structures at the local level. The officials also gave a presentation about the authority.