Ghaziabad's long-pending handover of Indirapuram from the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) to the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation (GMC) has taken a major step forward. In a meeting held in Meerut, the GDA board, led by divisional commissioner Selva Kumari J, finalised the Rs 1.85 billion cost for the handover, following a joint survey of civic amenities conducted in June by both the GDA and the GMC.

Under the agreement, GDA will allocate Rs 1.85 billion to GMC, with Rs 500 million earmarked for road repairs and infrastructure improvements across 80 km, Rs 250 million for sewage management, and Rs 200 million for water infrastructure upgrades, according to municipal commissioner Vikramaditya Singh Malik. Additionally, Rs 150 million will be invested in solid waste management, Rs 137 million for streetlight maintenance, and Rs 110 million for park upkeep.

Two land parcels will also be handed over by GDA to GMC within six months, including a 4,000 sqm plot for a waste transfer station and a 4,500 sqm plot for a material recovery center.

The GDA will stagger its payments over the next 10 months, with Rs 700 million being transferred upfront to initiate the handover process. The second instalment of Rs 400 million will be disbursed by December 31, followed by another Rs 400 million by March 1, 2025, with the remaining Rs 350 million paid by July next year.

The handover process, stalled since 2016 due to disputes over payment amounts, is now nearing completion. GMC originally demanded Rs 3.65 billion, citing extensive repairs required in Indirapuram, while the GDA argued that GMC already collects house taxes and should fund the repairs through those means.

Councillor Sanjay Singh of ward number 100 expressed relief over the agreement, noting that the 462,000 residents of Indirapuram will finally see comprehensive development under GMC's administration.

(ET)