GHAZIABAD: UP govt has allocated Rs 400 crore for the development of Harnandipuram township, officials announced during the ongoing budget session.
An official privy to developments in Lucknow revealed that the state govt had earmarked Rs 3,000 crore under the scheme, with Rs 1,366.2 crore designated as ‘capital seed’ for the township project. Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) will contribute an additional Rs 400 crore, primarily for land acquisition purposes.
“Around 75% of the combined funds will be utilised for land acquisition and primary development of the township. The amount will be disbursed shortly. And once the development authority has utilised 75% of the initial allocation, the state govt will release the second instalment,” the official added.
The project’s groundwork began in Nov last year, when a high-level meeting was conducted in Lucknow with the Awas Vikas department. During this meeting, the state govt committed Rs 400 crore to GDA for the township’s development.
Initially, Harnandipuram was planned across 521 hectares, encompassing land from eight villages. However, three villages were subsequently excluded, reducing the area by 151 hectares. GDA now needs to acquire 127 hectares of private land, as the remaining portion is already under GDA control or with the gram sabha.
For land acquisition, the development authority will pursue two approaches. The preferred method is through mutual consent, where GDA will negotiate directly with landowners to determine fair rates. If this proves unsuccessful, the authority will proceed under the Land Acquisition Act.
A six-member committee has been established to oversee the land acquisition process. Headed by the Ghaziabad district magistrate, it includes the additional district magistrate (finance and revenue), GDA vice-chairperson, a tehsil-level official, and a representative from the stamp department. This committee will determine appropriate land compensation rates for farmers.
According to preliminary estimates, the complete development of Harnandipuram will require around Rs 15,000 crore, with a significant portion allocated for land acquisition at mutually agreed rates. UP govt will fund 50% of the total cost under the chief minister’s ‘Urban Expansion New City Promotion’ scheme, while GDA will finance the remaining amount.
