Yamuna bridges await Haryana reply on cost sharing

The NCR Planning Board has sought a reply from the Haryana government after the Noida Authority raised the issue of cost sharing of the two bridges planned on Yamuna between Noida and Faridabad. The Authority, which says it has sufficient funds to start the project, has also decided to increase purchase rates of land along the river.

Construction of the two bridges was approved last month in a meeting in Delhi attended by Haryana additional secretary P Raghvendra Rao, Noida and Greater Noida authorities' chairman Rama Raman, NCR Planning and Monitoring Cell (UP) commissioner Kush Verma and Faridabad town planner.

 

"After we raised the issue of cost sharing, the NCRPB has sought a reply from Haryana. Once cost sharing is settled, the projects will further move ahead," said Rajesh Prakash, additional CEO, Noida Authority. "We are going to increase purchase cost of land near the riverbed. We are planning to increase the purchase rate from the existing Rs 2,800 per square metre to Rs 3,500 per sqmts. A proposal will be presented in the Authority's next board meeting," Prakash said.

Chairman of the Noida and Greater Noida authorities Rama Raman, meanwhile, said MoU for the two bridges was being finalized and is expected to take a couple of months, following which tenders will be awarded. "A team is working on the MoU. Once both Haryana government and we finalize MoUs, a date for signing them will be announced," Raman said. The bridges will drastically cut travel time between Noida and Faridabad from two hours at present, to flat 15 minutes.

"The bridge on the FNG corridor, estimated to cost Rs 266 crore, will start between sectors 150 and 149A and end in Tilori village in Faridabad. The length of the bridge is 600 metres and Canal Bridge is 80 metres. The other bridge will start nears sectors 167A and 168 and end near Faridabad's Lalpur village. The 600m-long bridge will cost Rs 315 crore," Raman said. Both the bridges will end on the road leading to Badkal lake crossing. "We have already received environment clearance and hydraulic study will soon be completed," Raman added.

Source: Magicbricks

Builders must get occupancy papers soon: DM to Authority

NOIDA: Gautam Budh Nagar's district magistrate N P Singh has written to the Noida Authority requesting it to ask developers to obtain occupancy certificates.

According to Singh, the developers are delaying the handing over of flats to homebuyers, using the excuse of the eco-sensitive zone around the Okhla bird sanctuary. This is leading to a revenue loss for the government. The government will earn nearly Rs 450 crore once over 80,000 flats, falling within the 10-km radius of the sanctuary, are registered.

In his letter (a copy of which is with TOI), the district magistrate has said that home buyers are in a state of panic as they have still not got possession of their flats, despite the Centre notifying the eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary. His contention is that builders have defaulted on their payment - remaining portion of the land cost - to the Noida Authority, without which they won't get occupancy certificates, and without which they can't hand over buildings to homebuyers.

"Due to the delay in registration of properties, the stamp and registration department could not achieve the revenue target," the letter said.

When contacted, Singh said, "I have written a letter to the Noida Authority to take necessary action into the matter so that relief homebuyers get relief and the stamp and registration department achieves its revenue target."

Officials of the UP stamp and registration department also said that the department could not achieve the desired stamp duty against the registry of those flats, which got delayed because it took time to demarcate the eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary. The officials said more than two weeks have passed but so far no registry has taken place because the developers have not obtained occupancy certificates from the Noida Authority. "The department was expecting revenue on account of stamp duty, but so far no flat has been registered," UP stamp and registration department's deputy inspector general Arvind Singh Chandel said.

Source: Times of India