GMADA to Acquire 737 Acres for Aerocity Extension

The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has issued a notification under Section 19 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire 737 acres of land for its seventh independent township, Aerotropolis, an extension of Aerocity, the USP of which is its proximity to Chandigarh International Airport. The project is spread over 5,400 acres and  will come up on both sides of the Zirakpur-Banur road, close to Chandigarh International Airport.A notification was also issued earlier by GMADA under section 11 of the Act to acquire the land, which calls for objections, if any, from owners. The township will comprise both residential and commercial spaces and will come up on both sides of the Zirakpur-Banur road. In the first phase, land will be acquired in Chau Majra, Saini Majra, Patton, Manauli, Siaun and Matran of Mohali district. As per GMADA, the land had to be purchased under the land pooling policy (LPP) of 2013. Recently, it had also increased compensation for land owners opting for the LPP scheme for various residential projects. For commercial plots, owners will get 200 sq yard plots instead of 121 square yards fixed earlier, “We have issued a notification under section 19 and we will be completing the acquisition process by February next year,” said Tarsem Chand, GMADA land acquisition officer. Under the scheme, farmers are offered housing and commercial sites in lieu of their land. Though GMADA is yet to calculate the compensation, sources say it’s likely to range between Rs2.5 to Rs3 crore for those who do not opt for land pooling. While acquiring land for Aerocity in 2008, GMADA had offered compensation of Rs1.5 crore per acre to farmers.