GMADA slaps fresh financial burden on IT City allottees, fixes enhancement charges at Rs 7,845 per sq yard

Following the authority’s decision, resentment is brewing among IT City allottees. Earlier, enhancement charges imposed in Sectors 76 to 80 had led to a prolonged agitation lasting nearly two-and-a-half years, eventually forcing the government to reduce the rates.

Property traders have termed the decision unjustified, pointing out that when GMADA launched the IT City scheme in 2018, plot rates were fixed at Rs 25,000 per square yard, while under the oustees quota, farmers were allotted plots at Rs 13,500 per square yard. They argue that demanding additional lakhs after eight years is not only unfair but amounts to injustice to buyers. Recovering extra charges years after selling a property cannot be termed reasonable or just, they said.

Former president of the Mohali Property Consultants Association, S S Lucky, said that while the government talks about providing relief on one hand, it is “simultaneously burdening” IT City allottees with enhancement charges on properties that were already purchased. He described the move as “contradictory and completely unjustified”.

Criticising GMADA, Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said that the development authority has completely turned into a “property dealer and has nothing to do with the welfare of Mohali residents”.

“When commercial properties are sold at prices many times higher than residential plots, why doesn’t GMADA bear the enhancement cost from its own earnings?”

“Once again, GMADA is eyeing hundreds of crores by selling Mohali’s properties. Enhancement charges can easily be paid out of that revenue instead of imposing an additional burden on the people,” he added.