After 3-year scam hiatus, Noida plot draw restarts today

Noida, November 04 The draw for allotment of 1,250 residential plots, cancelled by the Supreme Court in July 2005 for alleged bungling in preparing the list of applicants, will begin afresh from Wednesday.

Following an Allahabad High Court order, the Noida Administration has beefed up security in and around Noida stadium where the draw will be held.

District Magistrate Shravan Kumar said on Tuesday that all necessary security arrangements are in place. “Officials from Hapur-Pilkhuwa, Meerut, Bulandshahar-Khurja and Ghaziabad development authorities have been called in to finish the draw with efficiency,” he said.

The administration conducted a mock-run for the draw today.

According to officials, extra police personnel have been called from Meerut, Ghaziabad and adjoining areas. “In 2005, a group protesting against what they felt was unfair allocation of plots reached the spot where the draw was being held. We have beefed up security to avoid any such recurrence,” a senior police officer said. CCTV cameras have been installed at various strategic points to keep the draw under close observation, the officer added.

The draw will take place under the observation of J B Patnaik, chairman of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation, and Himanshu Kumar, IG (Registration).

The plots have been divided in four categories: 450 sq m, 112.5 sq m, 162-200 sq m, and 250-300 sq m. There are 128 plots for 450-sq m plots in both general and reserve categories, and 157 for general and 156 plots for reserve category in 112.5-sq m plots. The third category of plots will have 73 allotees both for reserve and general categories. For the plots measuring 250-300 sq m, there are 267 and 268 plots, respectively, under general and reserve categories.

There are 1,63,270 applicants for general category plots and 538 for reserve plots. The plots have been allotted in Sectors 44, 48 51 52 122, 46, 47, 54, 71 72 82, 90, and 93-B.

The Supreme Court had cancelled the draw of lots and ordered a CBI probe into the alleged bungling in preparing the list of successful applicants, which included VVIPs and their relatives.

Source: expressindia.com