The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has decided to invoke the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, for securing land required for the proposed Harnandipuram township after months of limited progress under the consent-based approach. The decision was taken at the authority’s board meeting on Tuesday, marking a shift from negotiated settlements with landowners to a compulsory acquisition model, as delays were threatening to derail the ambitious project.
The Harnandipuram township has been presented as a major urban expansion plan for Ghaziabad, aimed at creating a modern residential and commercial hub with integrated infrastructure. The project spans five villages and requires close to 490 hectares of land. However, since March 2025, the GDA had managed to acquire only 14 hectares through mutual agreements, with an additional 6 hectares still under process. This left an overwhelming 470 hectares yet to be acquired, highlighting the difficulty of persuading farmers and landowners to part with their land despite assurances of compensation at enhanced rates. The slow progress raised concerns that the project would be indefinitely delayed if the same route continued.
A GDA official confirmed that the authority had little choice but to take a stronger step. The official explained that while the model of mutually agreed rates was designed to ensure cooperation with landowners, the pace was not sufficient to meet the project’s deadlines.
With hundreds of families involved and negotiations proving lengthy and inconclusive, the board approved compulsory acquisition under the provisions of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. This law provides a framework for acquisition while guaranteeing compensation and rehabilitation measures, which the authority believes will help balance development needs with landowners’ rights.
Under the Act, the compensation is calculated at four times the notified circle rate for rural land and twice the circle rate for urban areas. This formula had already been adopted earlier when a committee led by the district magistrate set acquisition rates, but reaching individual agreements with landowners remained a challenge. Now, with the land to be notified under the Act, the acquisition process will become legally binding, allowing GDA to move ahead without waiting for prolonged negotiations. Officials said this step would not only accelerate possession but also give greater certainty to the township’s implementation timeline.
At the same time, GDA is exploring options to optimise project costs. One proposal under discussion is the reclassification of some panchayat areas as municipal, which would reduce the compensation multiplier from four times to two times the circle rate.
Such a measure would bring down acquisition expenses significantly, though officials stressed that this would be carefully evaluated to ensure compliance with the provisions of the law and to avoid triggering new disputes.
Once notified, the process will involve publishing notices to landowners, inviting objections, and finalising compensation. Following this, the authority would be able to take physical possession of the land, clearing the way for the township’s groundwork to commence.
Experts point out that invoking the Act may cause resistance from some farmers who were earlier holding out for higher negotiated rates, but they also note that the 2013 framework offers safeguards for rehabilitation and resettlement that can help mitigate discontent.
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