The ongoing dispute between the Punjab government and the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) over the construction of new district courts complex in Mohali will now be decided by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Despite sanction and clearance of land for the judicial and administrative complex in Sector 76,no construction has been started till date. It has been over six months since nod to the construction was given by the authorities concerned,including GMADA Chief Administrator and Mohali Deputy Commissioner,but no development has taken place on ground. The GMADA blames the delay on the state government claiming the government has not even submitted a written proposal demanding transfer of land. On its part,the Punjab government says they have already sent the proposal to the departments concerned after which they will be sent to GMADA. The issue was brought before the Building Committee,which comprises of High Court judges. Representatives from both the sides were called by the members of the committee to resolve the dispute. Keeping in view the ongoing tussle,the committee has reportedly referred the case to the judicial side for settlement. The case will now be listed before an appropriate Bench with the Punjab government and GMADA opposite parties in the case. Available information suggests the dispute had also arisen since GMADA officials had demanded market price for the land earmarked for the court complex. The Punjab government had,however,expressed its inability to pay the market price for the land. Denying,Vivek Pratap Singh,Chief Administrator,GMADA stated: We have never made any such demand. We are charging the institutional price which is barely ten per cent of the market price. Moreover,there is no delay on our part. We are ready to transfer the land to the Punjab government the moment they deposit the money for the land. But the Punjab government has not even submitted a proposal before us demanding transfer of the land. On the behalf of the Punjab government,P S Mand,Deputy Commissioner,Mohali said: Proposals for the transfer of land have already been sent to the Financial Commissioner and Home Department. We got a little busy with the elections but the needful will be done within a short while.
