Will move court if LIT e-auction not nullified within month: BJP
The LIT chairman refuted the allegations and said that information regarding the e-auction was publicised in the newspapers thrice and four bidders participated in the same
A day after Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) chairman Raman Balasubramaniam refuted allegations of undervaluing a prime commercial property in the Model Town Extension, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Wednesday said they will raise an agitation and move court if the state government does not cancel the e-auction proceedings within a month.
District BJP president Pushpinder Singal and BJP unit executive member Bikram Singh Sidhu alleged that the LIT had auctioned the land for ₹98.38 crores (including 6 percent cess) throughan e-auction, while the market value of the 16,344 square yards (3.79 acres) of auctioned land is around ₹300 crore.
The leaders alleged that the LIT had also deliberated on establishing a food gallery and shops-cum-offices on the site and auctioning the same for around ₹400 crore in the past, but the proposal had been set aside to favour the “land mafia.”
Sidhu said,”The Congress government has been involved in several scams. The City Centre scam also took place during the Congress’ tenure. The LIT chairperson, who is working on the directions of a Cabinet minister, is currying favours with the bidders by auctioning prime land at throwaway prices. The LIT has also auctioned land reserved for a community centre and school by changing its land use. All of this is being done to favour the land mafia.”
“Former officiating LIT chairman PS Gill had also proposed that shops-cum-offices be established on the site, but the proposal was disregarded. The details of the e-auction were not publicised properly so that fewer people bid for the land,” said Sidhu, adding the matter has already been raised with the Centre and a CBI probe has been sought.
“ A copy of the complaint has also been marked to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh. We will move court if the state government fails to take action to stop auction proceedings within 30 days. An agitation will also be raised,” he said.
Meanwhile, the LIT chairman refuted the allegations and said that information regarding the e-auction was publicised in the newspapers thrice and four bidders participated in the same.
“No proposal to establish a food gallery was ever tabled and misinformed BJP leaders are levelling baseless allegations. As far as allegations pertaining to quoting a lower reserve price are concerned, the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority has auctioned over 6,000 square yards of land on Dugri Road for ₹54,000 per square yard. We have auctioned the land for around ₹56,000 per square yard,” said the chairman, adding the proceedings were transparent and had also been recorded.