Should the planned new capital of Chhattisgarh be modelled on the lines of Chandigarh, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore or Hyderabad? That was the question troubling Ajit Jogi when he took over as Chief Minister of the new state.Eighteen months down the line, Jogi’s grandiose plans for a new capital seem to have gathered steam and if all goes well the new capital may turn out to be different from any of India’s four model townships.A seven-member team, including experts A.P. Kanvinde, E.F.N. Reberiro and K.T. Gurumukhi is now awaiting ‘‘conceptual plans’’ for the capital from five world-class companies.Estimated at nearly Rs 5,000 crore, the capital, said Jogi, will be the most modern, 21st century urban agglomeration and will include old Raipur, Durg and Bhilai towns. His government has sanctioned Rs 82 crore for the project, even before the Centre moved on it.Close to the National Highway Nos 6 and 43 in a 50-km periphery of the old Raipur city, it will cover an area of 2,000 hectares comprising 26 villages. Its close proximity to Raipur’s Mana airport, now being upgraded to an international airport, is also seen as a key advantage, besides the minimal effect on the existing population.But even before actual ground work has started on the project, the state government is facing a peculiar problem.Some leading colonisers have already moved in to identify potential areas to sell plots. This despite the government orders banning sale and purchase of land in 61 villages, including the 26 identified for the capital.Public Works Department principal secretary Vivek Dhand, who also heads the newly-created Capital Area Development Authority (CADA), said: ‘‘Technically, we can’t stop anyone from selling or buying but the government is keen to ensure that there are no haphazard constructions in the capital or its periphery.’’He, however, assured that no existing buildings would be demolished and those who have already constructed buildings would be given a one-time opportunity to get the buildings regularised. ‘‘There won’t be any relaxation thereafter,’’ he says.Though Jogi’s opponents, particularly the BJP, have not made the selection of the site an issue but they echo the cause of locals whose lands will be acquired. ‘‘Jogi is behaving in an autocratic manner, causing hardships to locals,’’ alleges Raipur BJP MLA Brij Mohan Aggarwal.He also criticises the government for imposing a ban on the sale-purchase of land in 61 villages when the actual land requirement can be met with 26 villages.Officials handling the project, however, defend the move saying that the land use freeze in the 61 villages was aimed at stopping haphazard developments in peripheral areas and the proposed green-belt zone.Under Section 16 of the Town and Country Planning Act, objections regarding this have already been invited from locals. Since the capital is being developed in phases, the land requirement will keep increasing every year, they said. ‘‘We need to have a land bank also for future expansions and planning,’’ CADA Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Shukla said.
