GDA stops illegal construction at Indirapuram Habitat Centre

The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has stopped alleged illegal construction at Indirapuram Habitat Centre, a commercial hub here, and issued notice to it over non-payment of tax dues amounting to Rs 105 crore.
District Magistrate and GDA Vice-Chairperson Ritu Maheshwari paid a visit to the commercial hub yesterday and found that some structures were being built illegally.
She ordered officer on special duty D N Prashad to issue a notice over over non-payment of dues and seal the construction site.
Maheshwari said that the authorities were asked in 2005 to pay compounding tax dues in instalments, but they did not submitted the third instalment which was due on May 24 this year. The third instalment including interest was more than Rs 100 crore, she added.

The executive engineer of the enforcement department sealed the construction site yesterday.
The general manager (operations) of Indirapuram Habitat Centre, Yudhveer Singh, told PTI that the instalment amount was Rs 75 lakh only and that the GDA was charging exorbitant interest rate on it, making it total Rs 105 crore.
"We have requested the state urban development department in Lucknow to reduce the rate of interest... As and when a final decision is taken by the department, the dues will be cleared," Singh said.