The Haryana governments 350-acre recreation and leisure project planned for Gurgaon is set to take off soon. The government has decided to expedite work by relaxing the terms and conditions to make it more viable for developers. The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) had invited bidders on a freehold basis on January 14 this year. The 350-acre plot flanks the Gurgaon-Faridabad road in Wazirabad Village (Gurgaon Sectors 42,53 and 54) and is located in the satellite towns agricultural zone. The project will include commercial,residential and sports facilities as well as a golf course. Officials said inspite of being a prime project,the government received just a single bid till April 30 from real estate developer M/s DLF Ltd. The price offered was Rs 12,000 per square metre against the minimum reserve price of Rs 11,978 quoted by the government. As per the earlier terms,the allottee was supposed to obtain approval from the Centre at their cost. Besides,any delay in obtaining clearances did not qualify for the grant of additional time towards project completion. After private players brought it to the notice of the authorities,it was realised that in the time of economic slump,the project might get stalled if the state did not make its approach more flexible,an HSIIDC official added. Once the project is assigned,the developer will have seven years to complete the project. Only 97.72 acre of the entire project land (350.715 acre) is free for development work. For the rest,the allottee needs to seek clearances from various agencies. While,HSIIDC holds a majority share in the acquired land 274.87 acre the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) owns 75.98 acre. The bidder listed problem areas and possible solutions,like a revision in the payment schedule in view of the liquidity crunch,the government obtaining clearances from the various agencies like forest,mining,environment,town planning,as well as approval from defence authorities,since the proposed golf course will be located in the radar restriction zone, a senior official said. To address prospective bidders concern about bureaucratic delays,the state has now agreed to obtain approval for the land falling under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA),Aravalli notification,from authorities concerned. The government will also ensure connectivity if somehow the clearances for the intended use of land under the PLPA cannot be obtained, a senior HSIIDC official said. Fresh bids have been invited with the altered terms and conditions in the new advertisement issued by the HSIIDC on July 20. The last date of submission of applications is August 12. HSIIDC will convene a pre-bid meeting on July 31.
