Basic amenities elude Omaxe City residents

Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 19

Although the Patiala Urban Planning and Development Authority (PDA) has finally decided on the amount to be paid by allottees as compensation to farmers for land acquisition in Baran village, residents of Omaxe City are still awaiting development in their area. The area is bereft of basic amenities, including roads, parks, and other maintenance for a long time.

The PDA has decided that the final compensation amount to be paid by allottees to farmers is at Rs 963 per square yard. The development comes eight months after the Supreme Court decided to reduce compensation amount to be given to farmers. 

Earlier, the amount had escalated to Rs 1,418 per square yard, which meant that the PDA and Omaxe City Residents’ Welfare Association had to shell out Rs 900 crore.

In all, there are 1,750 plots and 150 flats in the area, whose allottes have already paid Rs 499 per square yard and Rs 560 per square yard, respectively, as compensation to farmers.

Despite paying huge amount as enhancement after buying plots at Rs 5,500 per square yard, which residents claim is 25 times higher than the initial price, the basic amenities elude the area.

The electricity wires are lying on roads, which have not been carpeted for a long time. There is wild growth on roads, at bus stops and other areas, which has never been cleared.

Residents said the PDA should have developed the area despite court cases as they had been paying the compensation amount.

“The PDA has failed to develop the area after farmers filed court cases. What is our fault if farmers filed cases? We have been paying the enhancement amount for the last many years. Nevertheless, the PDA should have developed the area,” a resident said.

“Even though we are party to the PDA for payment of any enhancement, the development in the area should never have been stopped. Now, we will pay the enhancement amount, but there is no progress in terms of development in the area,” another resident added.

When contacted, Chief Administrator of the PDA, Surabhi Malik, said, “Meetings for decision on the development of the area are being held under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Administrator. We are sure the process will be initiated soon.” 

“We have already accepted some demands of residents, including of excluding area of the creche and others in the enhancement. We are sure that decision will be taken and the area will be developed at the earliest,” he added.