Ghaziabad: Lens on 500 who profited from sale of Delhi-Meerut expressway project land

The inquiry was set up after divisional commissioner Prabhat Kumar received complaints which alleged that certain officials allegedly connived with private individuals and purchased land after the notification, in the name of their relative, to make profits.

The Ghaziabad district administration has given its nod for an inquiry set up by divisional commissioner (Meerut) to ascertain sale deeds executed after the land acquisition notification under the Delhi Meerut Expressway (DME) project.

Nearly 500 sale deeds are under scanner as they were executed after the land acquisition notification. (Sakib Ali/ HT Photo)

According to sources, nearly 450 sale deeds are under scanner as they were executed after the land acquisition notification, in violation of norms.

The inquiry was set up after divisional commissioner Prabhat Kumar received complaints which alleged that certain officials allegedly connived with private individuals and purchased land after the notification, in the name of their relative, to make profits.

Further, the cases were also sent for arbitration and the final settlement was done at six times the normal price.

“The rate for land acquisition was up to Rs1,100 per square metre and people purchased land for around Rs 1,400-1,500 per square metre after the notification in 2012. The cases were later referred for arbitration and settled at around Rs 6,500-6,700 per square metre — nearly six times the original rate,” said an official.

Recently, a fresh complaint of similar nature against the officials and staff was received through the Board of Revenue and made part of the inquiry proceedings at Ghaziabad.

The complaints received were related to land purchase under the DME project and also under the land purchases made under the Meerut-Bulandshahr road widening project.

The land acquisition notification for the latter was done in December, 2012.

“We have received several complaints that certain government officials, after the land acquisition notification, purchased land in the name of their relatives and earned profits after the amount of compensation was increased during the arbitration stage. I have directed the Ghaziabad district magistrate to inquire and submit a report regarding the same within 15 days,” said Prabhat Kumar had told Hindustan Times after he ordered the inquiry.