Vadodara civic body's land allotment questioned

The Gujarat high court asked a government lawyer to take instruction from authorities over a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) that has leased a plot worth Rs 150 crore to a private firm for mere Rs 39 crore. According to petitioner’s advocate Bhushan Oza, VMC granted a 99-year lease for 32,000 square metre plot in Kadak Bazaar to J P Iscon Pvt Ltd to develop a transport hut in the Smart City project. The land was allotted at a rate much lower than the jantri rate. The company has to make payment in 36 instalments. Besides questioning the deal, the petitioner also complained that the company has started putting up construction on the plot without any approval from the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) authority.The court is likely to take up further hearing on this PIL next month.