The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has served notices to approximately 200 farmers across six villages for constructing unauthorized structures on land earmarked for the second phase of the Noida International Airport. The notice warns of impending action and demolition of these illegal constructions, with farmers expected to bear the costs of the demolition.
As per regulations, any construction, sale, or purchase is prohibited following the issuance of a gazette notification for land acquisition. The notification for the acquisition of 1,363 acres for Phase 2 of the Jewar Airport was issued in November 2022.
A senior official from the district administration revealed that over the past few months, multiple instances of illegal construction on the notified land have been reported. Farmers engaging in such construction may seek higher compensation, as the government typically offers greater compensation for land with existing structures. However, this benefit applies only to structures built before the land is notified for acquisition.
The official emphasized that constructing anything after the land is evaluated, notified, and slated for acquisition is deemed illegal, warranting possible legal action.
Farmers have been cautioned that any construction on the designated land post-notification will lead to consequences. Under Phase 2 of the Noida International Airport project, the administration aims to acquire 1,363.45 hectares of land, with around 1,185 hectares being privately owned across six villages.
The land acquisition process is expected to affect approximately 3,800 families, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 2,891 crore, of which Rs 1,084 crore has already been received from the Uttar Pradesh government. The land acquisition process commenced in November 2022.
Arun Vir Singh, CEO of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), overseeing the project, previously stated that the first phase of the Noida International Airport is projected to be completed by September 30, 2023, with an anticipated five million passengers on the inaugural day of airport operations.