MCG seeks land from developers in lieu of revenue roads

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) in a survey has found that there are 47 revenue roads being occupied by private developers across the city. The MCG has

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) in a survey has found that there are 47 revenue roads being occupied by private developers across the city. The MCG has now initiated the process of sending notices to builders to give land amounting to the same monetary value to the MCG, in exchange for “legally” taking over revenue roads or else face legal action.

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Last month, during an MCG House meeting, the agenda allowing the exchange of MCG’s revenue roads with the land of private builders, amounting to the same monetary value was approved. Following this, the MCG initiated the survey to identify revenue roads occupied by builders across Gurugram, more than 12 years after its formation.

The issue regarding revenue roads is a long-standing one. Originally built with the aim of providing connectivity between villages and agriculture fields, such stretches have been completely engulfed by private townships, condominiums or gated societies over time.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the city urbanised significantly, resulting in village land being sold to private builders and revenue roads being occupied from all sides and becoming redundant.

As per MCG officials, during their survey, they found most of such stretches located next to urban villages, with each of them having a high real estate value.

“From the survey, we have details of each and every revenue road in the city. MCG joint commissioners, in their respective jurisdictions, have sent notices to private developers on at least two occasions. We will be issuing another notice, the third one, after which we will initiate necessary action as per the law to reclaim revenue roads from builders,” said Hariom Attri, joint commissioner, MCG.

MCG has already received a proposal from private builders to take over their land in Garhi Harsaru, in exchange for the civic body’s revenue roads in Sihi and Ghata villages respectively.

With developers or resident welfare associations (RWAs) unable to “legally” barricade or fence revenue roads, such stretches also become a matter of security concern in several residential areas.

“Revenue roads have been a major issue in the city, not only for builders but for residents as well. While we want such stretches to be transferred to private builders, we want the MCG to put a clause with private developers that they cannot charge any collection fees from residents in any regard, both for the taking over process or for any future construction on such stretches as these are being developed much later than residential projects have been built,” said Dhruv Bansal, spokesperson, Gurgaon Citizens Council, an umbrella body for all RWAs in the city.

Although the MCG House approved the land exchange policy only last month, it was in March 2018 that the directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) issued a notification allowing the exchange of revenue roads for private land of the same value. A month later, MCG also wanted to introduce this policy, with internal discussions on the matter taking place among officials. However, it largely remained on paper and never came to fruition.