Even as New Chandigarh is yet to see the development of an Eco City-3 project, the Punjab government has moved ahead with plans for Eco City-4, initiating the process to acquire more than 526 acres of land for a residential township in the area.
A notification issued by the department of housing and urban development in the Punjab government gazette on June 2 announced the commencement of a social impact assessment (SIA) for the project to be developed by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA).
The authority has proposed acquiring 526.0355 acres spread across the villages of Kartarpur, Kansala, Rajgarh and Boothgarh in Majri sub-tehsil of Mohali district.
According to the notification, the land acquisition is intended for the development of the Eco City-4 Residential Project along with supporting road infrastructure, in line with the approved master plan for New Chandigarh.
The government has directed that the SIA be carried out in consultation with the affected gram panchayats and landowners. The study will examine whether the acquisition serves a public purpose, estimate the number of affected and displaced families, assess the impact on homes, settlements and community assets, determine whether the proposed land requirement is the minimum necessary, and evaluate the social and economic costs associated with the project.
The notification states that the project falls under the category of planned development under Section 2(1)(e) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. Consequently, consent of gram sabhas or landowners is not required under Section 2(2) of the Act, although consultations will still be undertaken as part of the assessment process.
Officials have set a six-month deadline for completion of the SIA. Following the study, an SIA report and a social impact management plan will be prepared and made available to local bodies, district authorities and the public. The documents will also be uploaded on the department’s official website.
The move signals GMADA’s push to expand residential development in New Chandigarh. However, the project will also raise concerns. As Eco City-3 remains in the acquisition and planning phase and has yet to emerge as a developed township, the initiation process for Eco City-4 in New Chandigarh is questionable. The proposal is also expected to draw attention from affected landowners and local residents as the assessment process begins in the coming weeks.
