Surya Enclave extension project yet to take off

Rachna Khaira

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, April 27

Despite major relief provided by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2015 which dismissed a petition filed by some area residents challenging the acquisition of their land for the Surya Enclave extension, the project could not take off to date.

As a result, the 94.97-acre area on prime location in the city has been reduced to a mere garbage dump. Garbage dealers collecting waste from all major hotels and restaurants are throwing it here on vacant plots to be segregated later by rag pickers in the area.

As a result, the plot owners waiting to get the possession of their land and also waiting for the development of civic amenities in the area, including water, sanitation and power collection, are spending more than Rs 1 lakh to make their plots free of garbage.

The plot owners had recently approached officials of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust but the authorities failed to provide any respite. They have now asked an interest waiver on the pending EMIS on the plots, but the JIT has refused to do so and instead, has offered them a waiver of non-construction charges levied on plots.

According to a resident, Manohar Lal Sehgal, despite spending over Rs 35 lakh for each of the plot, the residents were forced to pay rent outside as the JIT had not provided any facilities in the area. “There is no water and sewerage system, no electricity, and even roads are also not constructed in the area,” said Sehgal, adding that the JIT had even failed to provide a tube well connection in the area.

An untoward beginning

In 2011, the JIT had framed a “development scheme” for the allotment of residential plots in Surya Enclave Extension in nearly 94.97 acres. It offered 431 plots in various sizes, ranging from 100 square yards to 500 square yards to the general public at a reserve price of Rs 17,000 per square yard.

Although it had issued allotment letter to around 300 allottes after taking a substantial amount of money from them, it failed to hand over the possession of the plots to them for more than three years due to a stay order by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in the same year.

Legal hurdle

Around 17 residents from the area while seeking the court’s intervention contended that they were given just 30 days to raise objections against the scheme even as there was a statutory provision of 60 days. They also accused that their objections were not properly heard by JIT officials.

In the CWP 3559 of 2011, Arjan Singh and Others challenging the notifications 36 and 42 of the Punjab Town Improvement Act 1922, the High Court had ordered status quo regarding the possession of the land in the area. The legal battle also brought forward the name of former JIT chairman Baljit Singh Neelamahal who was accused of extending benefits to some of his relatives in the project. Neelamahal later denied charges by saying that he was being maligned by some persons who did not want to see development in the city.

Cost calculations

The Trust had fixed the rate of Rs 17,000 per sq yard or Rs 1.28 lakh per marla for allotment purpose. A draw was held on November 4, 2011, for 66 plots of 100 sq yard, 130 plots of 200 sq yard, 65 plots of 250 sq yard, 65 plots of 250 sq yard area, 66 plots of 356 sq yard area and 54 plots of 500 sq yard area.

The residents were then levied an amount of 10 per cent of the total allotment price of plot as earnest money. The land had been acquired from Qazi Mandi, Santoshi Nagar and adjoining areas falling at the rear of the Jalandhar City railway station.