Curation Team
NOIDA: Noida Authority on Saturday initiated the process of returning residential plots to thousands of farmers whose land was acquired for urban development — a significant breakthrough that marks the end of a two-decade-long impasse involving several court hearings.
Officials said the case — marked by not just legal battles but bureaucratic hurdles too since the early 2000s — represented one of the longest-running land disputes in the region.
On Saturday, Authority officials began the formal takeover and demarcation of 31 hectares in Begumpur in Sector 145, installing pillars amid tight security. The process will benefit around 2,200 farmers who are entitled to receive 5% of their acquired land as residential plots. Senior police officials, including the ACP and DCP, supervised the demarcation of the land, accompanied by a substantial police force. “The Authority is committed to expediting the possession process after years of legal complications. Today’s exercise marks the beginning of that process,” said a senior Authority official.
The case traces its history to Nov 2007, when the Authority issued notifications under the Land Acquisition Act for 108 hectares. However, a stay order from the Allahabad high court in Feb 2008 halted the process temporarily. After the stay was lifted, the Authority acquired seven hectares in June 2008 and the remaining 101 hectares in June 2013. Compensation was handed out to affected farmers between Jan 2011 and Dec 2013.
Sector 145 — located along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway near the Hindon — was established in 2013-14 as a residential hub. As part of compensation agreement, the Authority decided to return developed land to farmers here. While it issued allotment letters for 31 hectares, prolonged litigation that followed at various legal platforms prevented physical possession.
The legal journey intensified when around 40% of the affected farmers approached the Allahabad high court in 2011 over the compensation promised to them. A significant turning point came on Sept 13, 2019, when the court — while upholding the acquisition’s legality — mandated compensation at current market rates for farmers who hadn’t accepted payments earlier.
The Authority and a group of farmers appealed in the Supreme Court, which upheld the Allahabad HC’s decision on May 9, 2022. A subsequent review petition filed by the Authority regarding the compensation amount was dismissed on Nov 2, 2022. Another review petition by a group of farmers was also quashed on May 17, 2023.
In line with the SC’s directives, the Authority declared a fresh award on Jan 28, 2023 — with compensation based on the Sept 13, 2019, market rate for farmers who were involved in the legal dispute. The district administration then issued a final notification on July 19 last year.
Officials said the 31 hectares designated for allotment were legally acquired and free from any court stay orders. “We now have complete legal clarity. Today’s demarcation represents a concrete step towards fulfilling our commitment to the farmers,” the official added.
