Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi has termed the proposed land swap of 23 acres from Sector 90 with land in Ludhiana’s Mattewara Forest as a “major betrayal with the public”, accusing Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) and forest department officials of gross negligence and misleading practices.
Bedi said GMADA had misled thousands of plot holders for years under the guise of letters of intent (LOI) and collected crores in fees through repeated transfers of these LOIs. “It is shocking and ridiculous that GMADA officials now claim they had no idea that these 23 acres fall under the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900 (PLPA),” Bedi stated.
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He asserted that PLPA land cannot be swapped with land in another district, “especially not 100 km away in Ludhiana”. Bedi said he has already written to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to halt the swap and is prepared to move to court if necessary.
Calling for corrective action, Bedi demanded that all those from whom crores were collected be immediately allotted plots in other Mohali sectors, enabling them to finally start building their long-awaited homes. He emphasised that no development project is above public health, law, and environmental norms, and strict action must be taken against officials who “tampered with legal provisions”.
Swap approval triggers new controversy
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The issue took a fresh turn after the forest department approved the swapping of the 23-acre PLPA land with land in Mattewara (Ludhiana). The file is now pending final clearance at the Union Ministry of Environment, Chandigarh Regional Office.
GMADA has stated that once Central approval is received, development work in Sector 90 will begin immediately. In the first phase, 144 acres will be developed for residential, commercial, institutional and public infrastructure.
Mohali Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi 
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