Ludhiana: Local real estate developers have formally urged the district administration and relevant authorities to take decisive action against the rapid proliferation of illegal colonies. They contend that these unauthorized developments result in significant financial losses for genuine builders, deplete government revenue, create long-term hardships for occupants, and fuel the haphazard, unplanned growth of the city.Industry stakeholders noted that once illegal colonies are established and residents move in, reversing the situation becomes an immense challenge. At that juncture, enforcement actions like demolition risk making families homeless, which complicates the legal and social landscape. Developers questioned why authorities fail to act in advance to prevent these projects from emerging, suggesting that a robust mechanism should be implemented to halt such activities at the outset.Concrete Jungle, Paper TigersRohit Puniani, representing a prominent developer firm, highlighted the uneven playing field created by these practices. Genuine developers invest heavily in land acquisition, obtaining Change of Land Use (CLU) certifications, and securing necessary approvals to provide infrastructure like roads and drainage. Conversely, illegal colonizers often bypass regulations by simply dividing agricultural land into plots and selling them at lower rates without statutory oversight.Puniani further explained that this leads to substantial losses in stamp duty, development charges, and other fees for the government. Ultimately, buyers suffer from a lack of basic amenities and face future legal uncertainty or harassment. Sahib Chawla, a developer based in Model Town Extension, observed that many of these unauthorized colonies are being carved out openly. He noted that colonizers often secure quick profits and vanish, leaving investors to face the consequences when enforcement agencies eventually arrive with JCB machines.Chawla also pointed out that corruption and legal loopholes sometimes allow for the registration of these plots, further complicating the issue for innocent buyers. Developers collectively argued that these areas lack planning norms, resulting in narrow roads and zero green spaces, which eventually puts an unsustainable burden on civic infrastructure like sewerage and water supply. To deter such practices, builders including Gagandeep Singh from Mundian demanded regular inspections, consistent monitoring of land-use changes, and the imposition of heavy penalties. They emphasized that without strict preventive monitoring to ensure only approved development takes place, the district will continue to face long-term urban challenges that negatively impact the government, legitimate builders, and citizens alike.
