Lucknow LDA unearths Rs 1 Bn land scam
Real Estate

Lucknow LDA unearths Rs 1 Bn land scam

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has revealed a scam amounting to Rs 1 billion related to the illegal allotment of a substantial piece of land to a private developer in the Gomtinagar Extension scheme in exchange for land within the Gomti River's catchment area.

An inquiry led by LDA Vice-Chairperson Indramani Tripathi has exposed the fraudulent practices. The investigation traced back to 2000 when the LDA began acquiring land for the Shaheed Path and Gomtinagar expansion schemes in various villages. However, a 6,070 square meter parcel of land in Maleshemau village, located near Shaheed Path, was excluded from the acquisition due to its location within the Gomti catchment area.

The inquiry report made public on Monday, unveiled that the land's ownership was falsely claimed in 2006 by a local resident, who subsequently sold it to a developer through a registered deed.

In October 2006, one of the developer's partners submitted an application to the LDA, asserting that the land in question had been acquired by the Authority for its two schemes and requested the allotment of undeveloped land of the same size in exchange.

Taking note of the application, certain LDA employees deceptively included the land in the acquisitions made for the two schemes. Consequently, on January 12, 2007, the LDA allocated 6,070 square meters of undeveloped land in Sector-4 of the Gomtinagar Extension scheme to the builder.

Further investigations revealed that on May 8, 2015, the LDA approved the land registry, and the firm paid approximately Rs 8.5 million as external development fees.

In response to the revelations, the LDA Vice-Chairperson stated, "An inquiry was initiated which exposed the scam. The allocation of the land has been revoked. We will recommend the matter to the state government for further probe."

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has revealed a scam amounting to Rs 1 billion related to the illegal allotment of a substantial piece of land to a private developer in the Gomtinagar Extension scheme in exchange for land within the Gomti River's catchment area. An inquiry led by LDA Vice-Chairperson Indramani Tripathi has exposed the fraudulent practices. The investigation traced back to 2000 when the LDA began acquiring land for the Shaheed Path and Gomtinagar expansion schemes in various villages. However, a 6,070 square meter parcel of land in Maleshemau village, located near Shaheed Path, was excluded from the acquisition due to its location within the Gomti catchment area. The inquiry report made public on Monday, unveiled that the land's ownership was falsely claimed in 2006 by a local resident, who subsequently sold it to a developer through a registered deed. In October 2006, one of the developer's partners submitted an application to the LDA, asserting that the land in question had been acquired by the Authority for its two schemes and requested the allotment of undeveloped land of the same size in exchange. Taking note of the application, certain LDA employees deceptively included the land in the acquisitions made for the two schemes. Consequently, on January 12, 2007, the LDA allocated 6,070 square meters of undeveloped land in Sector-4 of the Gomtinagar Extension scheme to the builder. Further investigations revealed that on May 8, 2015, the LDA approved the land registry, and the firm paid approximately Rs 8.5 million as external development fees. In response to the revelations, the LDA Vice-Chairperson stated, An inquiry was initiated which exposed the scam. The allocation of the land has been revoked. We will recommend the matter to the state government for further probe.

Next Story
Technology

We’re building robots that flow, not just move

Founded in 2021, Flo Mobility is reimagining construction automation with vision-AI robots designed for seamless movement through complex sites. In conversation with CW, Manesh Jain, Founder & CEO, discusses the company’s origin, its LiDAR-free tech stack, and expansion plans in the Middle East and US.What inspired the name Flo Mobility? Why ‘Flo’ and not ‘Flow’?When we started the company in 2021, our focus was on building autonomous navigation systems for robots. Since our work centred around robot movement, ‘mobility’ naturally became part of the name. We wanted to co..

Next Story
Real Estate

We’re committed to setting benchmarks in sustainable luxury living

From a landmark land acquisition in Boisar to ambitious launches across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru and Pune, Birla Estates is driving future-ready growth with a strong focus on sustainability, partnerships and premium living, firmly anchored in its LifeDesigned® philosophy. K T Jithendran, Managing Director & CEO, outlines the company’s premium, sustainable growth playbook in conversation with PRATAP PADODE, Editor-in-Chief, CW. Excerpts:Birla Estates recently acquired a 70.92-acre land parcel in Boisar, Maharashtra, for..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Mumbai’s land crunch and ageing homes call for structured renewal

Founded in 2022, Etonhurst Capital Partners is a real-estate fund management platform focused on the Indian market. As the firm achieves the first close of Rs 1.8 billion for its debut Rs 5 billion fund, Bamasish Paul, Co-founder, Managing Partner & CEO, discusses its sharp focus on redevelopment-driven value creation in Mumbai’s urban core with CW. Excerpts:Etonhurst Capital has achieved a significant milestone with the first close of Rs 1.8 billion for its Rs 5 billion fund. What factors contributed to this early success and how do you plan to attract further investments to r..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?