The Punjab government has initiated land acquisition proceedings for a new residential township in New Chandigarh. A Social Impact Assessment (SIA) notification was issued on June 2 for the compulsory acquisition of 526.03 acres across four villages: Kartarpur, Kansala, Rajgarh, and Boothgarh in Majri sub-tehsil under Kharar tehsil of Mohali district. This project, named Eco City-4, is aimed at planned urban development.
Notification and Legal Process
The notification was issued under Section 4(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, by Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Vikas Garg. This marks the first formal step in the statutory land acquisition process. The SIA study must be completed within six months, followed by further notifications and a compensation award.
Land Distribution
The proposed acquisition includes 172.75 acres in Kartarpur, 183.59 acres in Kansala, 9.90 acres in Rajgarh, and 159.79 acres in Boothgarh, as per the approved Master Plan of New Chandigarh dated December 28, 2015. The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has been entrusted with the project.
Since the project falls under planned development (Section 2(1)(e)), mandatory consent from gram sabhas or landowners under Section 2(2) is not required. However, the SIA will be conducted in full consultation with concerned panchayats and landowners. The SIA report and management plan will be made available in the local language and uploaded on the department's website.
Significance: Expansion of Urbanisation Drive
The Eco City-4 notification adds to Punjab's most ambitious urban expansion drive, which plans to acquire 11,103 acres across Greater Mohali and New Chandigarh. This includes seven new townships, seven new sectors, and over 1,240 acres of master plan roads. The 716-acre Eco City-3, covering nine villages including Kartarpur, Kansala, and Rajgarh, has already seen a compensation award of Rs 3,690.32 crore. With Eco City-4, the total land under acquisition or proposed for acquisition surpasses 11,600 acres.
Other Projects in the Pipeline
For the largest project, the 3,535-acre Aerotropolis Blocks E-J, a Section 19 declaration has been issued, with a compensation award imminent. For commercial Sector 87 and industrial Sectors 101 and 103, Section 11 notifications have been issued post-SIA. For the Aerotropolis Extension (2,489 acres), Industrial Park Sector 101 (488 acres), commercial pockets of Sectors 85, 86, and 88 (76 acres), and master plan roads (1,240 acres), Section 4(1) notifications have been issued. The Section 4(1) notification for Eco City Extension (90 acres) is at an advanced stage.
Background: Policy Turbulence and Resolution
The current acquisitions follow a turbulent policy journey. In June 2025, the AAP government notified a Land Pooling Policy-2025 proposing compulsory acquisition of 65,533 acres statewide, triggering widespread farmer protests and a High Court stay. The policy was withdrawn in August 2025. In November 2025, a revised optional Land Pooling Policy was introduced, offering farmers a choice between developed plots or statutory cash compensation. This gained wider acceptance, with most village panchayats endorsing the acquisition. Three compensation awards totaling Rs 6,069 crore across 1,231 acres have been declared.
Concessions and Morcha
Residual grievances led to a Pucca Morcha, a three-week dharna and hunger strike outside GMADA headquarters, which ended after the government agreed to enhanced benefits. These included an increase in commercial plot entitlement from 200 to 210 sq yd per acre, residential entitlement from 1,600 to 1,630 sq yd, extension of oustee quota certificates, doubling of Sahuliyat Certificate validity from two to four years, free conveyance deeds for original landowners, and inclusion of all preferential location plots in draws. The government also committed to completing development works within three years and integrating village infrastructure with GMADA systems.
With the Pucca Morcha called off, the state has promptly added Eco City-4 to its acquisition pipeline, continuing the rapid urbanisation of New Chandigarh.
