WE THE PEOPLE
Batamaloo Bus Stand encroachments and allotment of Parimpora Mandi structures have placed SDA in dock
Hence people demand probe into its failure to protect Govt., property and ignoring laid down norms for auctioning complexes
By: Uzair Khan
Srinagar: In continuation to our series, we would like to reiterate that Srinagar Development Authority was constituted in February, 1971 in pursuance of Section 3(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act 1970 to promote and secure development of the local area Local area is the area declared as such by the Government for development by the Authority of Srinagar city according to the approved Master Plans. The Authority is vested with the powers to acquire, hold, manage and dispose off land and other property, carryout building and engineering operations and execute allied works. The first Master Plan (1971-91), with a twenty year perspective, was approved in the year 1976. The Government in January 2003 approved the second Master Plan (2000-2021), prepared in 1999, for implementation. But from the perusal of records, it has emanated that the officials have violated Codal formalities by executing large number of works without invitation of tenders and are accused of diversion of funds, depriving thereby beneficiaries of their rights. The Authority officials acquired land at Rakh Gund Aksha costing Rs 1.79 crores, but failed to develop housing colony.
It is worth mentioning that under the second Master Plan, 856 kanals of State land stood transferred to the Authority for development purposes. However, due to non-maintenance of basic land records, the details regarding land under encroachment are not available with the Authority. As per the information provided by the Authority to the State Legislature, a comprehensive survey had been undertaken during 2007 to assess the land under illegal occupation and for taking steps for removal of encroachments. But it is strange that the survey had not bee completed till May 2008, thereby hampering the process of getting the land under encroachment vacated.
It has come to surface that squatters, by converting the area into a dumping site for their shops, has led to inconvenience to the passengers and created health hazard within the premises of the General Bus Stand at Batmalloo. The encroachment had taken place despite posting of an Estates Officer at the site. The accommodation constructed by the Authority at the bus stand had been under the control of various private Transport Associations and no policy or practice was in place for collection of premium/rent from them. In addition, premises allotted to a private person on lease basis for running a restaurant had been converted by him illegally into a commercial complex, consisting of seven shops in the ground floor, of which six had been rented out by the occupant. This indicates weak control exercised by the Authority over its property, as the private agency had illegally constructed shops and also earned revenue by renting them out without any intervention from the Authority.
As per the norms fixed by the Government, all the commercial plots, complexes and other built-up area are to be disposed off by public auction at minimum reserves price arrived at after addition of 100 per cent to the base cost. But it has come to light that the Fruit Mandi at Parimpora developed by the Authority consists of quadrangles carved out for facilitation of the wholesale fruit and vegetable trade. The original layout plan of Quadrangle ‘C’ provided for construction of 80 shops. The Authority invited tenders in February 1999 for auctioning the shops sites Size 16X45 sft and 17.6X45 sft with a minimum reserves premium of Rs. 2.32 lakh/Rs. 2.50 lakh per site. In response, offers of premium ranging from Rs. 2.41 lakh to Rs. 3.50 lakh were received. However, the Authority refunded in May 1999 the bid amounts, released Cash Deposit Receipts (CDRs) to the bidders and allotted the land of the quadrangle (47 kanals 15 marlas) in October 1999 to a private Fruit Association at a cost of Rs. 70 lakh for construction of sheds. The decision to allot land at a lower rate compared to the offers received in response to the auction notice has resulted in a minimum revenue loss of Rs. 1.23 crore Calculated at a minimum rate of Rs. 2.41 lakh per site for 88 sites, Rs. 2.12 crore less Rs 70 lakh received from Fruit Association to the Authority. The Authority, to sustain itself, is expected to generate resources and as such the allotment was in contradiction of the Government order of September 1991, stipulating disposal of commercial assets by open auction.
Hence people demand probe into its failure to protect Govt., property and for ignoring laid down norms for auctioning complexes.
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