Colony’s ‘PUDA approved’ claim doubtful

Colony’s ‘PUDA approved’ claim doubtful Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Malout/Muktsar, October 21
Despite the state government's efforts to put a ban on the registration of sale deeds of plots in unapproved residential colonies to check their mushrooming growth, the problem is far from over.
A residential colony was inaugurated today at Bathinda road in Malout with huge hoardings on the roads describing it as "PUDA (Punjab Urban Development Authority) approved".
The authorities concerned revealed that the colony had not been approved so far and if the owners of the colony had mentioned it as "PUDA approved", then they were inviting legal action.
Uma Shankar Gupta, Chief Administrator, Bathinda Development Authority (BDA), said, "The colonisers have submitted their documents but we have not yet given them the licence. They can't claim it as PUDA approved as of now."
While visiting the site of the 17-acre colony, it was found that its owners had not only installed a huge board mentioning it as "PUDA approved" at the site, but also in other parts of the town.
They were even found distributing free brochures of the colony, mentioning that it had been approved by PUDA, to those attending the inaugural ceremony.
Sources said the colony was being developed by some liquor traders of Muktsar, who have close affiliation to the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Tehsildar, Malout, Harsharanjeet Singh said, "As of now, we have not received a single document regarding PUDA's approval either from the owners of the Star City colony or from the PUDA officials. The plots in this colony are not yet approved in our records."
On the other hand, Gaurav Saluja, MD of the Star City colony, claimed, "We have deposited the fee with the PUDA but the licence is still pending, which is expected soon. The delay was caused only due to some change in the layout of the colony at the last moment."
It may be mentioned that earlier during its survey, the BDA had identified 132 of total 136 residential colonies as unapproved in Muktsar district. And 11 of the total 12 colonies were declared unapproved in Malout town.

A hoarding put up at the site of a proposed colony in Malout claims to have been approved by the PUDA. A Tribune photograph
Courtesy: The Tribune