Yeida cracks down on illegal housing projects near Jewar airport - 'Plots not approved'

Noida airport site

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) has launched a probe into the growing number of illegal housing projects in its notified areas, especially in and around the upcoming Noida International Airport in the Tappal region, Hindustan Times reported.

The move comes after several unauthorised colonies were found being developed by illegal land dealers who are tricking people into buying plots that are not legally approved.

According to the Yeida officials, these unauthorised plots are being sold to buyers from nearby cities, often with false promises of high returns. The illegal constructions are coming up on land that is already earmarked for planned industrial and urban development, which could seriously affect the region's future growth plans.

“We have directed inspections in our notified area for effective action against unauthorised construction. If our teams find unauthorised construction in a notified area, they are told to demolish it immediately and free the encroachment,” RK Singh, CEO of Yeida was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying.

Singh has also assigned Shailendra Singh, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the land department, to oversee the ground-level inspections.
Yeida was established in 2001 to promote development between Greater Noida and Agra. Its notified area covers nearly 2.5 lakh hectares across six districts: Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura, and Agra.

However, the authority has only been able to acquire about 20,000 hectares of land so far, mostly along the expressway in Gautam Budh Nagar, where major projects like the Noida International Airport and Film City are coming up.

As per HT, the real estate experts say many illegal operators are selling small plots, about 100 square yards, for Rs 20 lakh or more in areas like Tappal, Jewar, and Goroli. They claim that these plots will double in value in just a year or two. But these plots are often on agricultural land notified for development, and when Yeida acquires the land, buyers are left with nothing.

To prevent more people from falling into this trap, Yeida will soon release public notices warning buyers against investing in such unapproved housing schemes. “We have also directed the land department to issue appeals advising people to not get lured by unauthorised housing projects promising unrealistic returns in a short time. People should stay away from investing in such schemes not approved by authority,” Singh said.