In Haryana CM’s constituency, private hotel comes up on govt land

Karnal:
A private hotel is being built illegally on Haryana government land in Karnal, the constituency of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
Official documents show though government officials are in the know that the five-storeyed hotel is nearing completion. The construction of another unit adjoining the hotel spread over 3.42 kanals at Namaste Chowk along Grand Trunk Road is also in full swing. This despite the matter reaching the offices of the prime minister, chief minister and chief secretary.
The hotel is 200 metres from the HSIIDC's Karnal office and falls within the municipal corporation's jurisdiction. As per the district collector's commercial property rate (Rs 66,500 per sq yard), the cost of this 2,057 square yards plot is Rs 13.68 crore. The market rate, real estate agents say, is four times more than the collector's rate and that means this land is worth nearly Rs 55 crore.
In its letters to departments between September 2015 and March 6, 2018, the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) refers to this hotel as “illegal construction and encroachment/unauthorised possession of HSIIDC land” by Vishal Gupta of Karnal.
Gupta, who is into the business of publication, real estate and event management, admits that his hotel is an unauthorised construction. “In the absence of any clear policy, a majority of commercial establishments in Karnal are unauthorised,” says Gupta, who is close to one of Khattar's officers on special duty.
“This is an unauthorised construction on land the HSIIDC acquired in 2005. Gupta illegally bought the land after the acquisition was over,” says Rajbir Singh, the HSIIDC's senior manager in Karnal.
“I have spent more than Rs 10 crore on building this hotel. The CM is aware of this issue. My plea seeking release of this land from the ambit of acquisition is pending in the court. I started construction after the high court ordered status quo on possession in January 2016. The court has not stopped me from building this hotel,” Gupta says.
Illegal building
“He cannot construct,” the HSIIDC officer says. The HSIIDC initiated contempt of court proceedings against Gupta in May 2016. The case is pending.
A Delhi-based Haryana government's law officer says: “Any construction on the land after the high court interim order to maintain status quo regarding possession is illegal.”