The region around the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway is experiencing rapid development, notably in areas like Sector 150, 151, and 152 where upscale residential societies by renowned builders are either constructed or in progress. Colonizers have been actively involved in this area for the past year. In Sector 150, builders are establishing colonies in a submerged land area, a practice deemed entirely illegal in Noida. The Noida Authority has been gearing up to use bulldozers to remove unauthorized farmhouses in the submerged zone for over a year, but the timeline for this action remains uncertain. Last year, the authority demolished over 50 such farmhouses.
Approximately 5 thousand hectares of land along the Yamuna river is within the flood zone, where permanent construction is prohibited. Despite being adjacent to the Yamuna river, areas like Sector-94, 124, 125, 127, 128, 131, 133, 134, 135, 168, and 150 have seen illegal farmhouse constructions. Any form of construction within the submerged area is unlawful, even if the land is owned by a farmer. Despite warnings to the farmhouse owners regarding potential legal consequences for further construction, these warnings have not deterred them.
Builders, land mafia, and colonizers have erected numerous illegal farmhouses in villages under Noida Authority’s jurisdiction, such as Nagla, Nagli, Nangli Sakpur, Yakutpur, Mangrauli, and Chhaprauli. These structures have encroached upon both government and private lands. The unauthorized farmhouses built along the stretch from Okhla Barrage in Noida to Mangrauli village are in direct violation of various laws including the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Act, Central Environment Protection Act, and Disaster Management Act. Both the Noida Authority and the district administration have declared these farmhouses illegal due to their adverse impact on the Yamuna river ecosystem and hindrance to the river’s flow.
