Board nod for Master Plan clears Noida Extn

In October 2011,the Allahabad High Court had quashed land acquisition in three villages in Noida and allowed construction in 61 villages of Noida and Greater Noida with the rider that all constructions in Noida Extension be put on hold until the Master Plan is given final clearance by the NCRPB.

On June 28,a sub-committee of the NCRPB cleared the Master Plan and forwarded it to the board for the final clearance.

The letter forwarded to the Housing department Principal Secretary says: “The draft Master Plan for Greater Noida 2021 has been approved.”

“After the technical sub committee gave its clearance,the file was sent for inspection to the state government. Final clearance was given after the government returned the file to us last week,” an NCRPB official said.

Greater Noida Authority CEO Rama Raman said: “This is great news for the development of the area. We will wait for the intimation from the state government,which will come tomorrow. Then meetings will be held to chart out a plan. We will ensure that there is no delay in resumption of construction.”

The Noida Extension Flat Owners and Members Association,comprising nearly 20,000 home-buyers,welcomed the news. Annu Khan,the association’s president,said: “We have been waiting for this decision for so long. We hope the administration will allow construction to begin immediately. Over the past 10 months,we have gone through financial hardship. Hopefully,our troubles will be over now.”

Representatives of the 25 builders,who were in the process of constructing close to one lakh homes in the Greater Noida region,heaved a sigh of relief,too.

“It will augment investment in the area. Noida was considered a conducive investment destination,but the land issues had dented investor confidence. Now,people will start flocking to these parts again because of the advantage the area offers…cheaper housing and proximity to Delhi,” a spokesperson of Amrapali Group,one of the main real estate firms in the area,said.

Farmers,unhappy with the decision,said the board should have waited until all issues of compensation were resolved. “There are many who are yet to get compensation form the Greater Noida Authority,” Ranjit Singh of the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti said.