The Ghaziabad Improvement Authority (GDA) has written to the municipal company to expedite the takeover of Indirapuram locality and be certain that it takes place before the local body elections. The transfer has triggered a row because the company has demanded ₹288 crore from the authority on the grounds that sure amenities must be upgraded before the handover course of.
The Indirapuram locality was developed by the authority about 30 years in the past and it has been making an attempt at hand over the locality to the civic body since 2011-12. So as to assess the required improve of amenities, officers of each the departments carried out a joint inspection in January 2022.
The newest communication was despatched by means of the workplace of vice-chairperson of GDA on March 18 and the letter states that the handover must be expedited before the local body elections.
The elections are more likely to occur quickly because the Supreme Court docket on Monday allowed the state election fee to concern a notification on this regard in two days.
Civic body officers mentioned there have been gaps in sure civic infrastructure in Indirapuram associated to roads, drains, footpaths and central verge, amongst others.
On Could 21 final yr, the municipal company board accepted a partial takeover — of Indirapuram’s three companies of horticulture, streetlights and cleansing actions.
“Even these three companies haven’t been taken over as but and solely the 56MLD (million litres each day) capability sewerage therapy plant has been taken over by the company. The joint inspection highlighted sure gaps and we want funds of ₹288 crore from GDA if the handover is to happen. In any other case, the authority ought to take up these works and replace the civic infrastructure. We’ll meet and focus on the problem,” mentioned Nitin Gaur, municipal commissioner.
GDA officers mentioned ₹288 crore was not an accurate estimate.
“The quantity is much less as per our estimates and now we have communicated this to the company. Our officers will maintain conferences to expedite the handover course of,” mentioned Rakesh Kumar Gupta, chief engineer, GDA.
Presently, the companies in Indirapuram are maintained by GDA and so they gather consumer costs from residents. The company costs property tax from households.
The five-year time period of the company board ended at midnight of January 22 this yr. The state authorities later issued instructions for the formation of a committee (comprising the district Justice of the Peace and company officers) to supervise the day-to-day working of the company however has barred them from taking any coverage determination till a brand new home is elected and convened.
“There may be a variety of strain on the company to take over Indirapuram which has incomplete infrastructure. It appears that evidently the handover has been sought to achieve mileage throughout the local body elections however residents would endure in the long term as a result of pending works. If the company takes over incomplete civic infrastructure in Indirapuram, it must incur big prices to improve the facilities and preserve them. In a approach, the GDA is making an attempt onerous to move on its liabilities to the company,” mentioned Rajendra Tyagi, outgoing councillor from Raj Nagar.
He additionally threatened to maneuver the court docket if the handover course of is began with incomplete civic infrastructure.
“The joint inspection doc was agreed upon by officers of each businesses and the authority ought to abide by it. Additional, the handover course of is a coverage determination and it ought to wait until the brand new board is fashioned,” Tyagi mentioned.