Despite strong opposition from farmers, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has announced September 30 as the final date for landowners to apply for the Punjab government’s land pooling policy. The scheme, launched on June 22, aims to acquire around 2,600 acres across various sectors of Mohali, including Sectors 84, 87, 101, 103, 120, and 125. The land will be used for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional development.
However, very few landowners are interested in participating. Out of nearly 8,000 landowners, only 100 have applied so far. Many farmers are unhappy with the compensation being offered and worry that they may lose their land without proper returns.
A senior GMADA official confirmed the September 30 deadline and said they are hopeful more landowners will apply in the coming days. “We received around 100 applications in the past month. We expect more soon,” he said.
One of the main reasons farmers are resisting the scheme is the low compensation. They feel the land is being taken for less than its actual market value. Harvinder Singh, a village leader, said, “We are the rightful owners and cultivators. We don’t agree to register our land with GMADA.”
Farmers also referred to earlier government projects like Aerocity, where land was taken in 2009, but many landowners are still waiting for compensation or plot allotments. Similar issues occurred in Sectors 88 and 89, where landowners were later given plots in Sectors 95-A and 95-B—areas that remain largely undeveloped. “The shops and rooms we got can’t even be rented out for the next 15 years,” one farmer said.
These past issues have made many landowners hesitant to trust the current policy. The lack of proper development in earlier projects has added to their fear that they will be left without land or usable property in return.
The Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government has been facing criticism from farmers and opposition parties like the Congress. On July 21, Congress leaders, including party president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, staged a protest outside PUDA Bhawan in Sector 62, Mohali. Warring said the land pooling policy was a “clever plan to grab farmers’ land cheaply.” He questioned, “Who would give up an acre of land for just 1,000 square yards?”
In response to growing protests, the Punjab cabinet recently approved amendments to the policy. These include:
Annual allowance of ₹1 lakh for landowners until their land is developed. Earlier, this amount was just ₹20,000.
The allowance will increase by 10% every year.
Farming will be allowed on the land until development work begins.
For every kanal of land, the farmer will get 125 square yards of residential land and 25 square yards of commercial land.
No restrictions will be placed on selling or registering land at any point during the process.
Punjab's housing and urban development minister Hardeep Singh Mundian defended the policy, saying it has been designed for the welfare of farmers and offers long-term benefits. He said that with the changes, more landowners will likely agree to join the scheme.
Meanwhile, GMADA’s executive committee last month formally approved the plan to acquire 2,600 acres of land for various projects:
236 acres in Sector 87 for commercial development
313 acres in Sector 84 for institutional use
321 acres in Sectors 101 and 103 for industrial projects
1,800 acres in Sectors 120 to 125 for residential development
The authority is pushing forward with its urban development goals, even though landowners remain cautious.
The Punjab government hopes that improved benefits and flexibility will encourage more farmers to accept the land pooling plan. However, with only a small percentage of applications received, it is clear that mistrust from past experiences continues to affect the scheme’s progress. As the September 30 deadline approaches, it remains to be seen whether more landowners will join or if resistance will grow stronger.
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