UDH department directs JDA on re-allotment of acquired lands

JAIPUR: The urban development and housing (UDH) department has issued directions to the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), after it sought explanation regarding providing compensation to owners whose land was acquired for sector roads.
The JDA recently has sent a six-point letter to the state government. An official said, "The JDA cannot re-allot more or lesser land than acquired as compensation.Incase the same amount of land is not available in that area, the JDA can re-allot land in another area."
He added, "In the clarification the JDA has also asked, if the affected owner land is not converted in 90A or 90B (land use not changed), and he/ she procures the allotment letter from the private housing society, what should the JDA do."
In this regard the state government has directed that the JDA should compensate the owner as per the proposed land use of acquired land. If the JDA has acquired a residential plot, the owner should not receive mixed-use (commercial and residential) plot as compensation.
Recently, a TOI report revealed that JDA senior officials are allegedly showing extra generosity to few land owners by allotting valuable land as compensation. After acquisition is done for projects, in return the JDA allots 25% developed land to the owners. However, the senior officials are allotting lands that are of more value than the acquired land.
After this, the UDH department had also sought a report on status of land acquired for construction of sector roads and compensation given to the owners from the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) after finding alleged irregularities.
As per the recent incident, in zone 10 the JDA acquired land near Goner to construct connecting road to Jagatpura-Kacchi Basti. As compensation, the civic body had to provide 537 sq m and 1,762 sq m land to two land owners in zone 10.
However, these owners were given 11 residential plots and 5 commercial plots in zone 8 near Patrakar colony, where prices are much higher in comparison to Jagatpura-Basti link road.
As per 2005 orders, it is mandatory for the JDA to allot compensation of acquired land in the same zone. If land is not available in that zone the JDA can only pay cash compensation to the owners. In case, the JDA wants to allot compensatory land in a different zone,
it is mandatory to constitute a committee that will carry out the actual valuation of the land."
It was alleged that in this case the valuation of land was done by the JDC, secretary and zone commissioner but no committee was constituted. Moreover, allotment was done to the developer and not to land owners after they sold their allotment letters.