A Two-Decade Wait Nears End: Mohali's Sector 90 Allottees See Light at Last

Imagine waiting for over twenty years for something you've paid for, something you've built your dreams around, only to have it held up by a bureaucratic snag. That's precisely the plight of 700 plot allottees in Mohali's Sector 90. But, at long last, it seems a significant breakthrough has occurred, offering a genuine glimmer of hope after what has been, for many, a frustratingly long ordeal.

The much-anticipated news comes from the Punjab Forest Department, which has finally given its "in principle" approval for a vital land swap. This decision, a pivotal moment in this decades-long saga, aims to clear the path for the development of Sector 90, an area that has been entangled in a complex land dispute since the late 1990s.

The story of Sector 90 is, frankly, a convoluted one. Back in 1996, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) was allotted a sprawling 200-acre parcel of land to develop a residential sector. By 1997, 700 individual plots had been carved out, eagerly snapped up by hopeful homeowners. Many paid the full cost, ready to build their futures. However, just two years later, in 1999, the rug was pulled out from under them. The Forest Department stepped in, declaring a significant 100-acre portion of this very land as 'forest land' under Section 5 of the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), 1900. This declaration effectively rendered 514 of those 700 plots entirely undevelopable, with another 186 partially affected. Can you imagine the sheer disappointment?

This unforeseen turn of events threw hundreds of families into a limbo state. Lawsuits inevitably followed, leading to the Punjab and Haryana High Court keeping a watchful eye on the matter, pushing for a resolution time and again. It wasn't just about plots anymore; it was about people's life savings, their retirement plans, their very homes, some of which were even constructed before being tragically demolished by the forest department.

So, what's the solution that's finally getting traction? GMADA proposed a clever land swap. They offered to exchange the 100 acres of disputed forest land in Sector 90 with an equivalent 100 acres of their own land in Majra village, located in Tehsil Banur, Patiala district. This Majra land is particularly suitable because it's conveniently contiguous with an existing forest area, making it ideal for compensatory afforestation – essentially, planting new trees to make up for any removed elsewhere.

GMADA initially sent this proposal to the state's Forest Department back in 2022. The recent "in principle" nod means that the Punjab authorities are on board. But, alas, the journey isn't quite over yet. The next crucial step involves securing final approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). GMADA now needs to formally apply to the Union Ministry for the necessary diversion of forest land. Once that final green light is given, GMADA can finally get down to business: developing the sector and, most importantly, handing over the long-awaited plots to their rightful owners.

This development isn't just about bureaucratic procedures; it's about the tangible relief it brings to hundreds of families who have weathered this storm for over two decades. It speaks to the persistence of both the allottees and the authorities working towards a resolution. The sigh of relief from these families, knowing that their dreams might soon materialize, must be truly palpable. Here's hoping the final approvals come swiftly, bringing this prolonged chapter to a well-deserved, happy close.