The Times of India 17.06.2013
Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority to soon implement land pooling scheme
HYDERABAD: For planned and systematic development in peripheral areas, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) will implement land pooling scheme (LPS) in its jurisdiction soon. Land pooling scheme can be undertaken either by the authority, the civic body or a licensed private developer provided the conditions are fulfilled according to the master plan of HMDA.
The draft LPS has been cleared by the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department and would be placed before the HMDA executive committee on June 21 for its approval.
HMDA sources said the LPS would first be implemented in the Hyderabad metropolitan area as there are provisions in the HMDA Act, 2008, for LPS and will be extended to other parts of the state, especially urban development authorities since there are no such provisions in the AP Urban Areas (Development) Act, 1975.
The MA&UD department had constituted a committee for preparing detailed guidelines for land pooling projects. The committee has metropolitan commissioner of HMDA as the chairman, commissioner and director of municipal administration as member and director of town and country planning as member convener and vice-chairmen of Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada urban development authorities as members. The committee has prepared guidelines and submitted them to the state government.
Under this scheme, individual owners or farmers could come together to develop land to an extent of 25 hectares (100 acres) or more with the clearance of HMDA and provide basic amenities like road, drinking water and street lighting.
"It will be a win-win situation for both the land owners and the authority. The land owners will get developed land though they may lose some land with clear title and without any litigations and also appreciation of their property's land value. The authority or local body need not acquire any land for roads and other facilities," an HMDA official, who is associated with LPS, told TOI.
The HMDA has broadly divided the LPS into two types. The first type is Road Development LP area, which would be taken up for notified master plan and road network for already identified potential areas. The other category is Town Ship Development LP area. For the second type, the minimum size of layout should be 100 acres.
For LPS, at least two-third (66%) of property owners should be willing to take up land pooling schemes. If some of the owners do not come forward, the authority would acquire land invoking the urgency clause under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. The land owners, who do not wish to be part of LPS, would get compensation as per the Act only. The developer has to hand over open spaces for public purpose to the authority as per rules.
"Initially, the committee had proposed some incentives like building rules relaxations for developers who come forward for taking up LPS. However, later it was decided to stick to the provision of the master plan and existing building rules only," another HMDA official said.
A shot in the arm for city realty
The LPS would first be implemented in the Hyderabad metropolitan area and will be extended to other parts of the state, including Vizag and Vijayawada.
Land pooling scheme can be undertaken either by the civic body or a licenced private developer provided the conditions are fulfilled according to the master plan of HMDA.
The MA&UD department had constituted a committee for preparing detailed guidelines for land pooling projects. The committee has metropolitan commissioner of HMDA as the chairman, commissioner and director of municipal administration as member and director of town and country planning as member convener and vice-chairmen of Vizag and Vijayawada urban development authorities as members. The committee has prepared guidelines and submitted them to the state government.
Under this scheme, individual owners or farmers could come together to develop land to an extent of 25 hectares (100 acres) or more with the clearance of HMDA and provide basic amenities like road, drinking water and streetlighting.
It will be a win-win situation for both the land owners and the authority. The land owners will get developed land though they may lose some land with clear title and without any litigations and also appreciation of their property's land value. The authority or local body need not acquire any land for roads and other facilities
The draft LPS has been cleared by the municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department and would be placed before the HMDA executive committee on June 21 for its approval.
