HUDA serves enhancement dues notices, residents irked

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Jhajjar, March 28

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) has served notices on 625 residents of Sector 2 in Bahadurgarh for recovery of enhancement dues to the tune of Rs 80 lakh. Residents have been asked to deposit the dues within 30 days to avoid further action.

The notices have created stir among the residents who have demanded the state government to pay the dues on its own. The Resident Welfare Association (RWA) at Sector-2 has also started coordinating with the state body to resist the move.

“It is a double whammy for those who have bought plots at the market rates from the initial plot holders in Sector 2 developed by HUDA around 15 years ago. More than 80 per cent allottees have sold their plots at market rates hence the enhancement dues should not be recovered from us,” said Gulab Malik, Secretary, RWA.

He said the government had lost the case in court regarding land acquisition cost more than eight years ago. The residents would not have been burdened had the government issued enhancement notices then. “We are contemplating to approach court against the enhancement dues notices,” said Malik.

Sources say HUDA wants to recover Rs 131 crore as enhancement dues from plot holders of Sector 2 and 9 in Bahadurgarh and Sector 9 in Jhajjar city. The process to issue enhancement notices to residents of Sector-9 in Bahadurgarh is likely to be started soon, the sources maintain.

Meanwhile, Vikas Dhanda, Estate Officer (HUDA) at Bahadurgarh, said the notices were being issued as per norms and those who fail to deposit the dues would be liable to face action.

“Residents of Sector 2 have been asked to pay enhancement dues at Rs 1,662 per sq mt while those of Sector 9 in Bahadurgarh and Jhajjar will have to pay the dues at the rate of Rs 724 and Rs 545 per sq mt, respectively,” said Dhandha. He added that Rs 80 lakh and Rs 31 lakh were to be recovered from residents of Sector 2 and Sector 9 in Bahadurgarh, respectively, and Rs 20 lakh from residents of Sector 9 in Jhajjar.