Govt treads cautiously on expressway

The plan had come to the government for approval about one-and-a half months back but was sent to the office of Chief Town and Country Planner for its view on the plan’s technical aspects.

Initially,the government had planned to clear the plan within a fortnight but sources said following the land-related issues in Greater Noida and its neighbouring areas in the past few weeks,the decision was taken to first make the plan free of all complications,which can put the government in difficult situation in future.

Sources said clarifications have been asked by the Chief Town and Country Planning office,to whom the draft was sent about a month back. The process is likely to delay the clearance of the plan by over a month as after clarifications,the plan would again come to the government for approval.

The first phase of the draft master plan covers about 580 square km area in Gautam Budh Nagar and Bulanshahr districts from Greater Noida to Jewar along Yamuna Expressway.

Following sensitivity of the issue,while none is ready to talk over the clarifications sought from the authority but sources in the Authority said the major problem being relates to a section of land in sector 18,which is yet to be acquired by the authority but has already been allotted to individuals. Though,officials in the authority claim there will be no issues related to it as these plots would be shifted to locations,where the land is already available with the government.

“There is no problem over this issue as we had made it clear during the allotment that location of the land might change in future and we did not charge any additional fee for preferential allotment of land. There are some minor clarifications,which will be sorted out soon” said an official in the authority.

The clearance of the first phase of master plan is significant as even the work on preparing the second phase of the draft master plan is in the pipeline,which will be spread over an area of about 2100 square meters.