Latest news with #GLADA
Time of India
03-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Work on Dhuri-Malerkotla missing link nears completion but official opening awaits Ludhiana West byelection results.
Ludhiana: Almost 12 years after it was first proposed, the much-anticipated Rail Over Bridge (ROB) on Dhandhran Road near the Dhuri-Malerkotla line is nearing completion — but residents will have to wait until after the by-election results are announced for official access. Two reasons have been cited for the delay in opening: the bridge must be inaugurated by the Punjab chief minister, and final construction and safety work remains unfinished. Despite this, local commuters have already begun bypassing barricades and driving on the yet-to-be-opened ROB, leading to safety concerns. The Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), which constructed the approach roads on both sides of the bridge, has warned that the site is still under development and is not yet safe for use. Workers are currently completing final touches, including painting the retaining walls, installing road markings, and placing reflective cat's-eye indicators. Several sharp curves on the 200-foot connecting stretch also pose accident risks, especially with high-speed vehicles, prompting authorities to delay the official opening until proper safety measures are in place. The project was originally conceived in 2012 under the Akali-BJP government to ease traffic congestion by linking the 200-foot road to Gill Road near Dhandhran village. However, bureaucratic delays and lack of coordination between state and central governments stalled construction for years. It was only after a change in government that the project resumed in earnest. Now in its final stage, the Dhuri-Malerkotla missing link awaits only finishing touches and a formal ribbon-cutting — a symbolic gesture holding up a decade-long infrastructure wait. MSID:: 121596615 413 |
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sukhbir leads SAD protest against Ludhiana land pooling scheme
Ludhiana: Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday led a protest against AAP govt in Punjab over a land pooling scheme recently notified by the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA). Under the scheme, govt plans to aquire around 24,000 acres of farmland in more than 40 villages around Ludhiana. Sukhbir vowed to prioritise Punjabi youth when giving govt jobs and ensure that only Punjabis bought farmland in Punjab. Addressing party leaders and workers who participated in the protest on Ferozepur Road outside the GLADA office, Sukhbir said, "Other states like Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan do not allow any outsider to get govt jobs and purchase land in their states, so why should Punjab not give priority to its own people?" He added even foreign countries were not allowing Punjabis entry into their states, so there was a need to create opportunities for Punjabi youngsters. Sukhbir said only a regional party could understand the pain of its people, while others like AAP, Congress and BJP only wanted to exploit its resources. He said it was only during the tenure of former CM Parkash Singh Badal that land acquired for SYL was de-notified and returned to farmers. "Every time Punjab has suffered the maximum loss, whether during the Independence war, or any other war with Pakistan or China. During this recent war with Pakistan, too, there were attacks in Punjab. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo When we sacrifice for this country, why should we not get returns too?" he said. Badal said pooling scheme had been brought in by AAP just to "mint money". "But it will impact farmers who will not be able to earn their livelihood. The SAD will not let even a single inch of land be acquired for this scheme," he added. Sukhbir urged people to identify those who were fighting for their interests and thsoe who were against them. He added if electors in Punjab could give 92 seats to AAP, they could also elect 100 Akali MLAs in the next assembly elections. In the end, Badal also advised the bureaucracy not to become a puppet in the hands of AAP govt. "When voters reject AAP in the 2027 assembly elections, action will be taken against officials who committed wrongs over these five years," he added.
Hindustan Times
25-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: GLADA slaps notice on violators as locals flag illegal construction
Authorities from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) have issued a notice to stop illegal construction in Kiran Vihar Colony, located behind Hotel Keys in Ludhiana. The move comes after complaints from local residents who allege that a 2-kanal plot, originally earmarked for a community centre, is being wrongfully occupied and developed. The notice, issued under Section 88 of the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995, follows a site inspection by GLADA's regulatory team. According to officials, the construction was underway at the site despite the absence of approvals or necessary building permits. The assistant district town planner has directed immediate suspension of all ongoing construction activity, warning that failure to comply may result in sealing of the property, demolition of the structure and recovery of all expenses from those responsible. Residents of the colony submitted a detailed complaint to the GLADA, highlighting that the plot in question was marked for community use in the original layout plan approved in the late 1980s. The land was reportedly transferred in 2007 by late coloniser Balbir Singh Pujani to his daughter Poonamdeep Kaur with the stipulation that it be used solely for community purposes. A copy of the land registry, attached with the residents' representation, confirms this condition. Meanwhile, residents said the construction work was still going on. 'The construction is being carried out in violation of the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Building Rules, 2021,' said Jaspal Singh, a resident. 'We urge GLADA to ensure that this land, meant for the welfare of all, is not misused for personal gain.' GLADA officials have stated that if valid ownership documents and building permissions are not produced within seven days, legal action would be initiated. The notice has also been forwarded to other government wings, including the PSPCL, the sub-registrar, Punjab Police and the forest and irrigation departments for coordinated enforcement. Junior engineer Amandeep Singh, part of GLADA's regulatory wing, confirmed that a halt order has been served and that the construction would be stopped completely. Further action will be taken after reviewing the documents, once submitted, he said, adding, 'We are going to issue a second notice wherein police help will be sought to stop illegal construction.'
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Residents of 30 villages hold conference against Punjab govt's land acquisition in Ludhiana
Residents from nearly 30 villages held a conference Tuesday at Dream Villa Palace in the Banohar village, Ludhiana, in response to the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority's (GLADA) decision to acquire over 24,000 acres of land to develop urban estates. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) Punjab unit also supported this conference. They announced that the next meeting of the SKM will be held on May 24 in Mullanpur, where the future course of action will be outlined to compel the Punjab government to withdraw the controversial notification. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali and Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira also attended the conference. The village where the conference was organised also has a portion of land set to be acquired by GLADA, according to available information. Kanwaljit Khanna, a resident of Jagraon and leader of BKU Dakaunda, said, 'The Bhagwant Mann-led government is launching an assault on fertile agricultural land through GLADA in 53 villages in the Ludhiana, Moga, Ferozepur, and Nawanshahr districts. We will not allow it to happen.' Addressing the gathering, legislators Khaira and Ayali and former MLA Tarsem Jodhan stated that land mafias pushed from Delhi are now exploiting Punjab under administrative orders. They condemned the land acquisition process, alleging that no proper survey was conducted and that panchayats, gram sabhas, and villagers were deliberately kept in the dark. They further accused the AAP of openly siding with corporate interests. Ayali is the MLA of the Dakha constituency in the Ludhiana district, and many villages of this constituency are part of the land acquisition process. Manjeet Singh Dhaner, state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) Ekta Dakaunda; Manpreet Singh, block president, BKU Rajewal; Jasdev Singh Lalto of Dasmesh Kisan Mazdoor Union, and several other farmer union leaders called on villagers to hold gram sabha meetings and pass resolutions rejecting the government's land acquisition notification. Sukhbir Badal meets farmers On Tuesday, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal visited villages and met farmers. He said, 'The AAP government, led by Bhagwant Mann—already a failure on all fronts and acting under the command of Delhi-based leaders—is now preparing to launch a major land grab targeting farmers' land. In the Ludhiana district alone, around 24,000 acres of land across 40 villages are being acquired under the land pooling scheme. This is a new method devised to loot thousands of crores of rupees, and the SAD strongly opposes it.' SAD also announced that it will stage a massive protest on May 29 outside the office of the chief administrator of GLADA in Ludhiana.
The Print
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Punjab's most ambitious land acquisition exercise yet faces Oppn resistance, SAD promises agitation
The land slated for acquisition accounts for nearly 40 percent of the total area of Ludhiana district. The state's housing department intends to acquire a whopping 24,311 acres of land in southern Ludhiana for the development of urban estates. This is the highest-ever chunk of land planned to be acquired in a single region in Punjab. The acquisition will take place across multiple zones and the move was cleared during a meeting of various department heads chaired by the chief secretary last month. Chandigarh: The Punjab government's most ambitious land acquisition exercise ever seems to have hit a roadblock even before being officially announced. Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), the government body under the housing department was given the go ahead to start gathering land for the proposed urban estate projects. Addressing a press conference Tuesday, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal declared that his party will not allow a single inch of this land to be acquired even if it means mounting an agitation. He said the move was planned in a manner to facilitate large scale corruption by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders from Delhi led by party chief Arvind Kejriwal. He added that he had visited Isapur, one of the villages in Ludhiana where land was to be taken by the government. 'The land owners told us that the cost of land there was almost Rs 5 crore an acre and there was no way the government could match this amount while acquiring the land,' he said. Badal added that the large difference in the market value of the land and the compensation that would likely be offered by the government created fertile ground for rampant corruption. 'Landowners not wanting to be a part of the acquisition process will pay huge bribes for their land to be taken out of it. It's already happening. Soon all registries of land would be halted in the area. Landowners are being forced to prepare backdated documents to prove to the government that they had buildings or sheds or residential houses on their lands to take them out of the scheme,' said Badal. He added that he was receiving similar complaints from other areas in Ludhiana and will be visiting these villages in the coming days. Badal said that even as the acquisition process had been set into motion, Kejriwal had appointed his former cabinet colleagues, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, to oversee various projects in Punjab. 'Apart from these two, persons loyal to AAP's Delhi leadership have been put in key positions in RERA (Real estate regulatory authority), the Punjab Large Industrial Board and the Punjab Pollution Control Board. Which means that anyone who objects to the acquisition process will find no relief from these bodies,' said Badal. Leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Union Dakaunda have already announced that they would be protesting against the acquisition of land in Ludhiana. Few details about Punjab's largest land acquisition have been made public. When contacted, Punjab's Principal Secretary, Housing, Vikas Garg, was tight-lipped about the project. 'We're still working on the project. It is too early to say anything. Moreover, it would not be appropriate to share details of the exercise,' he said. Sources in the government, however, added that the land will be acquired not in the traditional method of acquisition, which included farmers parting with their land compulsorily, but through 'land pooling' which is a voluntary exercise. 'Acquisition of such a large amount of land is not practical as the process of acquisition is full of social, cultural and legal hurdles. However, land pooling is the way forward in this case,' said an officer involved in the process but who wished to not be named. The land pooling scheme notified by the government in 2013 offered to make land owners stakeholders in urban development. The scheme entailed the land owner being given cash compensation along with a part of the developed land in the form of plots. Landowners could also opt to go in for 'letters of intent' from the government which they could further sell. Former state government officer K.B.S. Sidhu, who served in the housing department for several years wrote about the project in his recent blog. He pointed out that direct acquisition could mean a staggering compensation bill for the government. 'The basic per-acre cost is unlikely to be less than ₹50 lakh, amounting to a total outlay of at least ₹12,000 crore—the Punjab Government appears to be banking on a land-pooling model as a strategic alternative to conventional acquisition,' he wrote. 'The land-pooling approach sidesteps this challenge by offering landowners Letters of Intent in lieu of immediate cash compensation, promising them developed residential plots or commercial sites within the reconstituted layout,' he wrote. Sidhu said the land pooling method achieved a dual objective of reducing the immediate funding pressure on GLADA, while giving landowners a lucrative and tradeable stake in the future urban form. He hailed the government's move, calling it the state's 'bold initiative'. 'The Punjab Government's decision to acquire 24,311 acres of land in and around Ludhiana in one consolidated exercise through the GLADA marks one of the most ambitious urban planning initiatives in recent memory,' he wrote, adding that few state governments had attempted such large scale land acquisition in a 'single stroke'. Sidhu however, cautioned that the 'sheer magnitude' of the Ludhiana proposal demanded 'cautious realism'. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: 'Hit list' lays bare infighting in radical MP Amritpal Singh-led outfit Waris Punjab De
