GDA hands over 300 crore plot to NCRTC for 1 per year for 99 years to develop RRTS station

Officials of the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) on Wednesday said they have leased a plot of land in the city worth 300 crore to the National Capital Region transport corporation (NCRTC) for 99 years for 1 per year. According to officials, the 24,000sqm plot is near the New Bus Adda Metro station and is already being used for the development of Ghaziabad city RRTS station.

“The land has been formally leased out to NCRTC for development of station and facilities and the required documentation was done on Tuesday. The lease will be for 99 years and with ₹1 per year as lease amount. We know that the land cost is 300 crore but the decision has been taken in accordance with the directions of the state government,” said Brijesh Kumar, secretary of GDA.

The NCRTC is developing the 82km Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) project, which provides high speed train connectivity between Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut. Officials said the GDA had sought 300 crore from state officials for handing over the land. NCRTC officials said the decision was taken on directions of the Uttar Pradesh cabinet.

“We have been developing the Ghaziabad RRTS station on the land for two years now. There is provision for other facilities that can be developed here but this will be decided in future,” said Puneet Vats, chief public relations officer of NCRTC.

The land is at a prime location and was previously leased to the Uttar Pradesh tourism department, which operated a Hindon motel at the site. However, this was demolished when the lease expired in 2011.

“The decision to hand over the land for ₹1 per year as lease amount will prove costly for GDA, which is in dire need of funds. We will raise the issue in the next board meeting,” said Himanshu Mittal, councillor from Kavi Nagar and a GDA board member.

Some officials familiar with the plot of land said it is still marked as a park in Master Plan 2021 and also in draft Master Plan 2031.

“In case such plots are given for development of commercial facilities, their land-use needs to be changed. Further, a similar area should be carved out elsewhere with same land-use. Further, it also needs to be checked if further leasing out of a leased facility is allowed or not,” said an official.

However, the GDA secretary said the plot of land is marked for “commercial use.”

“Even if the land was marked as park in master plan, the development of facilities along with public transport facilities is allowed. But whatever may be the case, GDA was expecting funds from the land and may not get it now,” said an official from GDA’s town planning department.

Officials from the stamps department said the lease document was registered with sub-registrar III on Tuesday.

“The land attracted stamp duty of 6.38 crore and registration charges of 0.90 crore. So, the total revenue received is 7 crore,” said KK Mishra, assistant commissioner (stamps).