Ghaziabad: About 5,000 multi-storey flats on single-unit plots in Vasundhara, finds survey

GHAZIABAD: An independent survey rolled out on the direction of the Meerut divisional commissioner
to identify illegal constructions across Vasundhara township has identified at least 5,000 multi-storey
buildings that have come up on single-use plots.
A report prepared by the committee, formed after the DC’s office received multiple complaints on the
violation of land use, will be sent to the state government for action, Rakesh Chandra, superintending
engineer of UP Housing Board, said.
“The survey is still ongoing and already over 5,000 plots have been identified where illegal constructions
have come up. The final report will be sent to the state government and based on its direction action,
which may include large-scale demolition, will be taken against erring developers,” Chandra said.

UP Garg, a patron of Vasundhara Vikas Samiti, said most of these violations were in sectors 2, 3, 5, 10,
10A, 12, 14 and 16. “Illegal constructions always have a direct and inverse implication on water, drainage
and parking facilities. In our case, it has gone from bad to worse and for this, the UP Housing Board
officials and developers are equally responsible,” Garg said.
As per norms, the UP Housing Board, which governs the township, gives map approval for projects on
single-use land. “Several small developers managed not only to construct multi-storey buildings right
under the nose of the board but also to sell these flats. Such a large-scale violation, that too over so many
years, could not have taken place without the connivance of the board officials. This needs investigation,”
Garg said.

Kumar Anish, a local resident who bought one such unit a few years ago, said, “These flats (on single-use
land) are offered at a rate much lower than the prevailing market rate, so homebuyers vie for such units.
Before they realise the units are illegal, their hard-earned money is already gone. Why blame homebuyers
for it? The developers should be penalised and aggrieved homebuyers compensated.”
A UP Housing Board official, on the other hand, said last year they had written to banks, including the
Reserve Bank of India, urging them to verify the legality of flats with the board before disbursing home
loans.