The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has announced plans to acquire 462 hectares of land from farmers for the Harnandipuram housing scheme, which will be developed across eight villages near the Delhi-Meerut Road, as published by Hindustan Times.
Officials have tasked a committee, including representatives from the GDA and district administration, with analyzing the market rates of the land to determine the appropriate purchase price. This initiative comes 20 years after the last GDA housing project, Madhuban Bapudham, which is also located near the Delhi-Meerut Road.
The Harnandipuram scheme aims to develop 520 hectares of land, covering portions of the following villages: Mathurapur, Shamsher, Champatnagar, Bhandakhurd, Nangla Firoz Mohanpur, Bhowapur, Shahpur Nijmorta, and Morta. Of the 520 hectares, 462 hectares are intended to be directly purchased from farmers. The GDA sees this method as faster than the traditional land acquisition process.
“At present, the fastest route for acquiring land is through direct purchase from farmers,” said Atul Vats, Vice-Chairperson of the GDA. He added that officials have been instructed to identify landowners and ensure the land is free from any encumbrances. The committee will also analyze sale deeds executed in the area within the past six months to help establish market rates.
In addition to the 462 hectares of land to be purchased directly from farmers, the GDA already owns 11 hectares. The remaining land will be procured from the gram sabhas.
Despite the GDA’s optimism, some local activists warn of potential challenges. Rajendra Tyagi, a social activist and former councilor from Raj Nagar, highlighted issues faced during the Madhuban Bapudham scheme. “Farmers’ concerns delayed completion of the project, and parts of the Northern Peripheral Road connecting NH-9 to Raj Nagar Extension have not been fully developed due to land issues,” Tyagi said. He predicts similar delays could occur in the Harnandipuram scheme.
GDA officials are prepared to pursue formal land acquisition if farmers reject the direct purchase offer. “This new scheme, planned after two decades, will provide housing and key amenities,” said Vats. “The committee is expected to finalize the purchase rates by January 2025.”
The proposed housing scheme is located near the special development areas and transit-oriented development zones planned along the corridors of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project. All eight Namo Bharat stations under the RRTS project are currently operational, making the area an attractive location for future growth.