Charge Reduction Plan by Mohali Development Body faces Delay

The reduction of enhancement charges for residential plots in Sectors 76 to 80 of Mohali is facing delays due to political disputes and ongoing legal proceedings. The anti-enhancement committee claims the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada) had agreed to cut charges by Rs. 824 per square meter, but the process stalled after Congress-backed residents filed a petition in the high court. This has created a standoff between groups supported by AAP and Congress. 

Enhancement charges are additional compensation paid to landowners during land acquisition. When Gmada allocated these plots, allottees signed undertakings to pay future charges as determined by the authority. 

At a press conference on Thursday, Committee Member and Councillor Sukhdev Singh Patwari, alongside other councilors and members, highlighted a Gmada letter indicating a potential charge reduction. They stated that Gmada had decided on October 15, 2024, to lower charges for Sectors 76-80 allottees, but legal challenges have postponed implementation. 

Patwari stated, "The anti-enhancement committee has been fighting for two years to get Gmada to reduce the charges. Just when we saw hope, a group of Congress-backed residents filed a high court petition, causing further delays." 

The committee revealed that after seven meetings with senior officials, including the Chief Minister, Gmada agreed to the Rs. 824 per square meter reduction and also promised to withdraw the Rs. 2 lakh per residence penalty. However, they stated that Gmada now awaits the court's verdict before proceeding with the relief measures. 

The delay has left affected residents in limbo, with no clarity on when the promised reductions will be implemented.