Construction in Greater Noida may take another month to resume

Members of the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) on Thursday said they had sent revised proposals for the Greater Noida Master Plan to the new Uttar Pradesh government and a final decision on pending construction projects would be taken in a month’s time. Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath said,“This issue was also discussed in NCR Planning Board meeting. A solution is likely soon. The Master Plan is under review and the revised proposals will now be looked into by the new government. The issue should be sorted out by next month.”

Greater Noida Authority CEO Rama Raman said,“The court’s direction was clear that until we get clearance for the projects from the NCRPB,construction cannot continue. The Minister said the matter would be finalised in a month and we are hopeful that all the housing projects will begin again soon. There should be no more hurdles. The ministers concerned,including the Minister of State for UP Abhishek Mishra,said the clearance process would be expedited. The Master Plan has been sent to the UP government by the NCRPB and once they give the go-ahead,everything will be sorted out.”

For flat buyers,however,who were expecting an announcement that the clearance had been given and work could start immediately,the decision means that they will have to wait at least another month.

“Officials have said that clearance would only take a little longer several times before. We have been told that the proposal have been sent to the UP government. However,it does not necessarily mean that they will be approved and the wait could even get longer. Construction has been stalled for months now. First by agitating farmers,and now by the delay in clearances. The buyers have been caught in the middle. The financial estimates of several thousand buyers who counted on these flats being built by a particular time have all been thrown off. The next meeting of the NCRPB is in a month’s time. But we hope that clearances will be given before then,” said an official of the Noida Extension Flat Buyers’ Welfare Association.