The approved rates for land acquisition were Rs 3,100 per square metre
The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) on Monday admitted facing difficulty in acquiring land from farmers near the upcoming Noida International Airport with compensation rate being the point of conflict.
The land is to be developed by the YEIDA for industrial, commercial and residential allotment in the region along the Yamuna Expressway's upcoming sectors 17, 17A, 18, 20, 22D, 22E, 24, etc, it said in a statement after its 77th board meeting held in Greater Noida.
The YEIDA, which functions under the Uttar Pradesh Government, manages land and development along the 165-km-long Yamuna Expressway which covers parts of Gautam Buddh Nagar, Aligarh and Agra districts in western Uttar Pradesh.
YEIDA's chairman Narendra Bhooshan and CEO Arun Vir Singh, among other officers, attended the meeting.
The YEIDA on Monday said in the last board meeting on February 20, the proposal was approved to acquire land in industrial sectors adjacent to Noida International Airport such as sectors 21, 28, 29, 32, 33, 10 and 9 and for the acquisition of 500 metres of land in the north, east and west sides of the airport for the construction of peripheral road around it and to check encroachment.
The approved rates for land acquisition were Rs 3,100 per square metre (including ex gratia, annuity and seven per cent population plot amount) or Rs 2,728 per square metre (including ex gratia and annuity) along with seven per cent developed plot, it said.
“Now the farmers of the area are demanding a uniform land purchase rate in the YEIDA area and are refusing to give land at lower rates, due to which the authority which is also acquiring land in other sectors like sector 17, 17A, 18, 20, 22E, 22D, 24 etc, is facing difficulties in purchasing land for other important projects such as institutional, residential, commercial, industrial, etc,” the YEIDA said in the statement.
“The Board has directed YEIDA to refer a relevant proposal to the government in this regard. Further action will be taken on this after approval or no objection from the government,” it added.
While the YEIDA press note did not elaborate on what proposals it would make to break the logjam, an official privy to the development said the local authority is planning to propose hiked compensation of Rs 3,100 per sq metre to villagers for new acquisitions.
The Noida International Airport at Jewar in Gautam Buddh Nagar district is being developed by Swiss firm Zurich Airport International AG's subsidiary Yamuna International Airport Private Limited for the Uttar Pradesh government, which holds a 37.5 per cent stake in the Rs 29,560-crore Greenfield project.
Of the remaining stake, the Noida Authority holds 37.5 per cent share, while the Greater Noida Authority and Yamuna Expressway Authority both have 12.5 per cent shares each.
The airport is being built in an area of 5000 hectares and its first phase in over 1300 hectares is scheduled to go open for commercial flight operations by September 2024, according to project officials.
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