UP Govt Plans SOPs for Township Handover

24 Dec 2024 CW Team

A state-level meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, where officials from municipal corporations and development authorities of Ghaziabad, Kanpur, and Lucknow will discuss recommendations.

According to Rajendra Tyagi, a five-time councillor with the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC), private developers often exploit regulatory loopholes to delay handovers, charging exorbitant maintenance fees from homebuyers. ""Maintenance costs under developers are far higher than municipal taxes for water, sewerage, and house tax,"" Tyagi stated, adding that residents are sometimes forced to pay both municipal taxes and developers' fees.

GMC Chief Engineer NK Choudhary confirmed that the state government has requested suggestions, which will guide the formation of a committee to draft rules ensuring seamless handovers.

Persistent Delays in Ghaziabad

In Ghaziabad, six townships, including Madhuban Bapudham and Swarnjyantipuram, developed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), have awaited handover to GMC for over two decades. Privately developed townships like Raj Nagar Extension and Wave City also face prolonged delays.

The Indirapuram township case highlights the challenges in such transfers. Spread across 1,222 acres, its handover dragged on since 2016 over disagreements between GDA and GMC on infrastructure costs. The dispute was resolved in October this year when GDA paid Rs 700 million to GMC for infrastructure upgrades.

Resident Ashwini Shastri from Indirapuram criticized the prolonged process, saying, ""Notices for house tax arrears of over 10 years have been issued despite GDA managing water and sewerage for 25 years. The lack of clarity in the handover process has resulted in unfair practices.""

Path Forward

The proposed SOPs aim to:

Set clear timelines for handovers.

Resolve disputes over incomplete work and funding.

Protect residents from unfair maintenance charges and double taxation.

By addressing these issues, the UP government seeks to uphold residents' rights while ensuring accountability among developers and authorities.

The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing standard operating procedures (SOPs) to streamline the transfer of townships from private developers or development authorities to local civic bodies. The move aims to eliminate delays and disputes that leave residents grappling with poor maintenance and double taxation.A state-level meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, where officials from municipal corporations and development authorities of Ghaziabad, Kanpur, and Lucknow will discuss recommendations.According to Rajendra Tyagi, a five-time councillor with the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC), private developers often exploit regulatory loopholes to delay handovers, charging exorbitant maintenance fees from homebuyers. Maintenance costs under developers are far higher than municipal taxes for water, sewerage, and house tax, Tyagi stated, adding that residents are sometimes forced to pay both municipal taxes and developers' fees.GMC Chief Engineer NK Choudhary confirmed that the state government has requested suggestions, which will guide the formation of a committee to draft rules ensuring seamless handovers.Persistent Delays in GhaziabadIn Ghaziabad, six townships, including Madhuban Bapudham and Swarnjyantipuram, developed by the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), have awaited handover to GMC for over two decades. Privately developed townships like Raj Nagar Extension and Wave City also face prolonged delays.The Indirapuram township case highlights the challenges in such transfers. Spread across 1,222 acres, its handover dragged on since 2016 over disagreements between GDA and GMC on infrastructure costs. The dispute was resolved in October this year when GDA paid Rs 700 million to GMC for infrastructure upgrades.Resident Ashwini Shastri from Indirapuram criticized the prolonged process, saying, Notices for house tax arrears of over 10 years have been issued despite GDA managing water and sewerage for 25 years. The lack of clarity in the handover process has resulted in unfair practices.Path ForwardThe proposed SOPs aim to:Set clear timelines for handovers.Resolve disputes over incomplete work and funding.Protect residents from unfair maintenance charges and double taxation.By addressing these issues, the UP government seeks to uphold residents' rights while ensuring accountability among developers and authorities.

Infrastructure Energy

14 Oct 2025

Mizoram To Build Rs 139 Billion Pumped Storage Power Plant

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Friday announced plans to construct a 2,400 MW pumped storage hydroelectric power plant in Hnahthial district, marking a major step towards achieving energy self-sufficiency in the state. Addressing the Mizo Students’ Union general conference in Hnahthial town, the Chief Minister said the plant would be developed across the Darzo Nallah, a tributary of the Tuipui river. Once operational, the project is expected to play a pivotal role in meeting Mizoram’s rising electricity demand and reducing dependence on imported power. Officials from the State Power..

Infrastructure Energy

14 Oct 2025

Centre Plans Nationwide Opening Of Power Retail Market

India is preparing to open up its retail electricity market to private companies nationwide, effectively ending the long-standing monopoly of state-run power distributors in most regions, according to a draft bill released by the Union Power Ministry on Friday. The move will enable major private sector players — including Adani Enterprises, Tata Power, Torrent Power, and CESC — to expand their presence across the country’s electricity distribution landscape. A similar reform attempt in 2022 had faced strong opposition from state-run distribution companies (discoms), which currently dom..

Infrastructure Energy

14 Oct 2025

CEA Sets 100 GW Nuclear Target For India By 2047

In a landmark step marking its 52nd Foundation Day, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) unveiled an ambitious roadmap to develop 100 gigawatts (GW) of nuclear power capacity by 2047, aligning with India’s long-term Net-Zero commitment and energy security objectives. The event, held at the Central Water Commission auditorium in New Delhi’s R.K. Puram, was attended by Pankaj Agarwal, Secretary, Ministry of Power, who served as the Chief Guest. The roadmap sets out a detailed plan to expand India’s nuclear capacity from its current level of approximately 8,180 MW as of early 2025, outl..