Major Irregularities Unearthed in Ghaziabad Development Authority: EWS and PM Housing Targets Fall Drastically Short

Lucknow: Despite repeated efforts through lotteries, auctions, and “First Come, First Serve” schemes, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has failed to achieve satisfactory sales and construction targets across multiple housing schemes. In several projects, only 11 percent to 50 percent of the properties were sold, while the authority could not even provide a clear record of the remaining unsold plots, flats, or commercial units.

A recent audit conducted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has exposed large-scale irregularities in plot and flat allotments, tender processes, and payment procedures within GDA between 2017 and 2022.

EWS Housing Targets Missed by a Wide Margin

The authority had set an ambitious target of constructing 25,000 houses for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) between 2017 and 2022. However, only 9,960 units were actually completed — less than half the intended goal.

The situation was equally concerning in integrated and high-tech township projects under GDA’s jurisdiction. Developers had obtained licenses claiming they would build 6,382 EWS and LIG units, but only 2,133 units were ultimately constructed, effectively sidelining the very sections these schemes were meant to serve.

PM Awas Yojana: Poor Implementation

Under the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), the authority planned to construct 45,000 houses for economically disadvantaged families. Work was initiated on 20,173 units, yet only 5,801 houses were completed.

The audit also highlighted serious irregularities in handling illegal constructions. Over a six-year period, GDA approved 1,303 building maps, but issued completion certificates to only 125 buildings within the stipulated timeframe. Details regarding the remaining constructions were not furnished to the audit team.

Land Acquisition and Master Plan Concerns

The CAG report raised alarm over land acquisition failures as well. Against a target of acquiring nearly 300 hectares of land for new schemes over six years, the authority managed to acquire merely 18.32 hectares — less than 20 percent of the planned area.

Further complications emerged regarding urban planning. The Master Plan-2021 failed to secure approval from the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB). Subsequently, GDA prepared two separate master plans for Ghaziabad and Modinagar, raising questions about planning consistency and regulatory compliance.

Governance Under Scrutiny

The audit findings have cast serious doubts over administrative efficiency, transparency, and accountability within the Ghaziabad Development Authority. The significant gap between targets and achievements in EWS and PMAY housing projects raises concerns about whether the intended beneficiaries — the economically weaker and lower-income groups — were adequately prioritized.

With mounting discrepancies in housing delivery, land acquisition, and regulatory approvals, the matter calls for urgent review and corrective measures to restore public confidence in urban development governance.