Mohali: GMADA gets back 170 acre land from builders meant for EWS category

“In the meeting it was decided that notices would be sent to such builders for transferring the land into GMADA’s name. Some of the builders were yet to transfer the land but at present around 38 builders have done it,” the officer added.

GMADA’s Estate Officer (EO) Mahesh Bansal told Newsline that the process of getting the land transferred into GMADA’s name is on and the builders who were yet to comply with the orders could face action.

“We will cancel the licences of the developers who do not comply with the orders. We had issued notices to eight more builders last month. Two of them sent their replies for transfer of land while the six were yet to submit their replies,” EO Bansal said.

GMADA issued the notices under the relevant sections of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA). In its notification of 2013, the housing and urban development department had asked PUDA and other development authorities to get the land transferred into the government’s name if the builders of mega projects and colonies approved by PUDA fail to give the land to the people who fall under EWS category.

Satnam Singh Daun, a social activist who fought for the rights of EWS category candidates, said that he along with a delegation of the affected people would soon meet the officials of PUDA and GMADA, and urge the government to use the land for providing affordable housing to the people of EWS category.

Daun said that in mega and super mega projects, 5 per cent land is required under EWS quota while for the small builders registered with municipal councils, the reserved area for EWS is 10 per cent.