NOIDA: Noida Authority and the district administration evicted encroachers from over 150 acres of floodplain area along the Hindon.
The land, located in Sorkha village and valued at around Rs 480 crore, was occupied by colonisers who had constructed boundary walls and plotted the area for unauthorised sale.
Authority officials said they received a tip-off about the encroachment and conducted a site inspection before launching a large-scale demolition drive with police support. The operation, carried out by officials of work circle-6 of the Authority, employed more than 50 personnel and was completed in around three hours. The recovered land is notably prone to flooding during monsoon, the officials said.
CEO Lokesh M reinforced an advisory issued by the Authority on Oct 25, cautioning people against purchasing land in such areas without proper verification of legal status. He emphasised that unauthorised transactions often resulted in financial losses, as such properties were subject to reclamation by the Authority. It also sealed an unauthorised multi-storey building in Wajidpur village. The structure, erected on notified land already acquired by the Authority, was constructed without necessary permits.
Despite multiple notices to the encroachers and a status quo order from the Allahabad high court in Aug last year, construction continued illegally. Although the encroachers submitted a fresh representation to the Authority following the HC order, it was rejected on Nov 4, 2024, after thorough examination.
Last month, land records department officials requested police intervention to stop construction through a formal communication, but the illegal activities persisted. The Authority finally sealed the building on Tuesday with police assistance. SHO of Noida Expressway police station has been tasked with monitoring the sealed premises.
The Authority has identified more than 200 unauthorised buildings and is preparing to initiate legal proceedings, including demolition and sealing operations.
