New Noida land acquisition plans have met resistance in Kheda Milk village, where farmers declined to give written consent during the Noida Authority’s first village meeting on the issue. The authority officials left without securing an agreement, while residents announced a mahapanchayat for Sunday to decide their next course of action.
The meeting was attended by Noida Authority Officer on Special Duty Harshita Tiwari and other officials, who explained the proposed development benefits and the compensation provisions under the land acquisition policy. Officials said the New Noida project would bring improved roads, electricity and water infrastructure, along with new employment opportunities.
Farmers, however, maintained that their demands must be addressed before any land is acquired. They raised concerns about the impact of acquisition on existing homes, village settlements and the long-term future of the affected villages. No farmer present at the meeting gave written consent by the time the gathering ended.
The farmers’ four demands include compensation of Rs 1 crore per bigha for acquired land and allocation of developed plots equivalent to 10% of the acquired land. They have also demanded that a 300-metre population belt around the village be left untouched to protect homes and the existing settlement. Their fourth demand is for a 60-metre-wide peripheral road around the village.
The proposed mahapanchayat in Kheda Milk village is expected to include farmers from villages within the New Noida area. Discussions will focus on land acquisition, compensation, developed plots and protection of village settlements before the group decides its further strategy.
The authority has said that seven villages have already provided written consent through 350 farmers, covering 80 hectares of land. According to the report, the registry process for those parcels is expected to begin after Diwali. The authority has already fixed compensation rates for the project. In the first two phases, farmers are to receive compensation of Rs 5,725 per square metre, along with developed plots equivalent to 6% of the acquired land, in line with the arrangement in Greater Noida. For the third and fourth phases, the compensation rate has been set at Rs 4,558 per square metre, matching the rate used by the Yamuna Authority.
The authority has also established work circles for development activity in New Noida. Work circles 11, 12 and 14 have been created, while Work Circle 13 has not been formed. S.P. Singh has been assigned charge of Work Circle 11, while A.K. Arora will oversee Work Circles 12 and 14. Senior managers from the existing work circles have also been given additional responsibility for the New Noida area. The authority’s next major step will be the farmers’ mahapanchayat on Sunday, where residents are scheduled to determine their response to the proposed acquisition.
