The Indian Express            06.11.2013

Moderate rush on last day, MC likely to start refund from Thursday

After two extensions from Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) the process of regularising plots and colonies ended on Tuesday.

Now till November 15, people can get their plots and colonies regularised but only after paying a 20 per cent fine for plot owners and 50 per cent for colonisers. Additional commissioner Isha Kalia said that there has been no notification from the government on further extension of date to get plots and colonies regularised. Earlier, the last date was kept at October 7 by state government which was extended to October 25 and then November 5.

As per collections on Tuesday, MC earned Rs 1.13 crore on last day and its total collection was Rs 32.65 crore approximately since August 27, when the process of regularisation started. The collections of GLADA stood over Rs 100 crore approximately, according to Rakesh Popli, estate officer, GLADA. Till October 7, which was the first deadline set by state government, MC had collected Rs 23 crore while GLADA collected Rs 36 crore approximately. While heavy rush was witnessed till late on October 7, on Tuesday there was moderate rush of people.

Meanwhile, the state also exempted plots and colonies established before 1995 from fee on October 7 thus people who paid fee before October 7 will get refunds from MC/ GLADA. "We will start the refund procedure most probably from Thursday. Residents can visit our zonal offices to get the refunds," said Isha Kalia, additional commissioner adding that state government has given a go ahead to refund fee.

Meanwhile, GLADA has still not decided on any policy to refund fee taken for plots or colonies before 1995.

GLADA clears 30,000 applications

While GLADA till now has cleared more than 30,000 applications and earned Rs 100 crore approximately, Ludhiana MC's total collection is around Rs 32 crore out of which Rs 1.13 crore came on Tuesday. On Tuesday, maximum Rs 39.50 lakh came from Zone B with 328 applications followed by Rs 33.40 lakh from Zone C with 218 applications. Rs 31.66 lakh were collected from Zone D with 165 applications and least were from Zone A with 39 applications and collection was Rs 8.53 lakh.