Sola town-planning land goes to HC expansion pocket

In a notification issued on Wednesday, the state government has allotted 1,64,057 square metre area of land under Sola town planning (TP) scheme No 43 for the Gujarat High Court for its expansion plans. The government has asked Sola TP to handover possession of the land to the HC before the procedure of section 4 and 6 of Revenue Act. The HC will get land adjoining to a garden and also parts of other land reserved for purpose of sale in Sola TP.

Sources in the state government close to the development said that the HC has instructed the government about its requirement of land for the expansion plans to increase its public utilities. The HC registrar had earlier written to the government in December and apprised it about the requirement of land. In response, after several rounds of meetings, the chief secretary (CS) ordered allotting of the plot of land to the HC.  The land acquisition formalities have to be carried out as per the Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act-1976, section 40(3) so that the HC can be handed over possession of the land at the earliest, sources said.

Sources further said that the same plot of land for the expanded HC complex was planned at the time of its construction, but it could not be acquired then because of other reasons.  However, the need to acquire it has arisen now, official sources said. There were some reservation for issuing the land due to the announcement of Sola TP scheme (No 43). However, without any alternative, the newly notified area had to be allotted to the HC considering its requirements, and will remain excluded from the Sola TP scheme, sources added.