SC grants time to NDA to decide on allotment of land to ITC

New Delhi, Jul 18 (UNI) The Supreme Court today granted time to NOIDA Development Authority (NDA) till August 11 to take a final decision on allotment of five-star hotel land to ITC group of companies, which was allotted to them for contruction of hotels for 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Several companies were allotted land for the construction of 14 five-star hotels by the Mulayam Singh Government.

Caveator Ashutosh Srivastava had filed a petition for cancellation of allotment of huge chunk of land to big hoteliers at throwaway prices.

According to Mr Srivastava the present market value of the land is around Rs 8000 crore.

The Mayawati Government cancelled the allotments made by the previous government and started the proceedings for reclaiming of possession of land.

The apex court during the last hearing had directed the parties to maintain status quo.

A bench comprising Justices R V Raveendran and Lokeshwar Singh Panta directed the authorities to take a final decision on the representation after giving proper hearing to the parties, as per Allahabad High Court order.

The hotels are to be constructed for upcoming 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The main grievance of the petitioner was that Mayawati Government had cancelled the allotment without hearing them and they have already made considerable investments, running into several thousand of crores of rupees.

The apex court directed the parties to maintain status quo, meaning thereby that the petitioner will not be dispossessed of the land but they will not raise any new contruction. The apex court will now hear the case on September nine.

UNI SC RSA RP VC1710