UP backtracks, refuses to transfer 18 colonies

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 3

The Uttar Pradesh government has backtracked on the agreement signed with Uttarakhand in May this year, dealing a blow to the state government’s efforts to get control of 18 colonies spread in different parts of the state built by the Avas Vikas Parishad before its creation.

There are around 18 colonies built by the Avas Vikas Parishad of Uttar Pradesh in Dehradun, Haldwani and other parts of the state. The Uttar Pradesh government has refused to hand over the control of these properties even after the Avas Vikas Parishad office had shifted out of Uttarakhand.

After protracted negotiations, an agreement was signed between the two governments in May this year after which the Uttar Pradesh government issued an order. But within months of the order, the Uttar Pradesh government has gone back on the agreement, putting a big question mark on the fate of these properties.

Meanwhile, with no agency having a control over the upkeep of the housing colonies, rules were broken. The land use of the residential colonies have been changed making them commercial and efforts are also on to convert parks into residential or commercial complexes.

Clearly, to check the illegal sale of colonies and plots, the Uttarakhand government was keen to take over the control on these properties but now the Uttar Pradesh government is not adhering to the May agreement.

“The transfer of properties should have taken place the way the properties were exchanged between the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited, but the Uttar Pradesh government did not agree to the arrangement. Hence, we again took up the matter and a memorandum of agreement was signed with Uttar Pradesh in May. Even after the notification of the order, the Uttar Pradesh government has backtracked,” said DS Garbyal, Secretary, Urban Development.

Now, the government is planning to seek legal recourse in the matter. The Nainital High Court has stayed the sale, allotment of plots and houses.