Greater Noida: The dangerous nexus between babus, builders

Knows as well-planned cities in north India, Noida and Greater Noida have been defaced with large-scale encroachment in the past few years. The credit goes to the nexus between babus and land sharks. In the name of cheap flats, large-scale illegal construction has taken place in various areas in the twin cities. The district police, administration, registration department, power department are in the dock as massive illegal construction has taken place under their nose over the last few years.

According to a senior administration official, Noida, Greater Noida and the Yamuna authorities are governed under the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act, 1976, which means all the land in Gautam Budh Nagar is notified under them. Nobody can construct anything or get the map passed without their permission.

In many cases, agriculture land was converted into residential purpose under section 143 of the land act. In many cases, the farmers sold the land to the local builders or constructed buildings for which they got the maps passed from the local 'Gram Sabha'.

Taking the example of Shahberi, in 2009-10, the Greater Noida Authority had acquired 3,635 hectares of land from about a dozen villages to form the Noida Extension area. Around 161.531 hectares of this land came from Shahberi village. Later, following a Supreme Court order in 2011, the land was returned to the farmers.

Further, builders got the flats registered while the officials in the registry department said that they can't stop them. After this, comes the power department, that has provided electricity in the unplanned areas.

The locals allege that the police is also involved in this nexus as the builders pay a heavy amount to them to keep their mouth shut.