Uttarakhand: Congress and BJP face off over IT Park land allotment

Congress state president Karan Mahara has raised questions about the allotment of two plots in the IT Park to a real estate company. Meanwhile, BJP state president Mahendra Bhatt stated that the allotted land is separate from residential and IT park land. Congress is unaware of the facts.

The BJP has denounced the Congress’s allegations, presenting facts to support its argument

Mahara stated that the IT Park land has been handed over to a private company building flats, which will later sell them in the market for profit. This means that public land has been handed over to the builder lobby through a “Public to Private Transfer.”

Speaking to reporters, he stated that in a tender with a base rate of ₹40,000 per square meter, the bidding reached only ₹46,000, and both plots were awarded to the same company, RCC Developer.

This entire process not only appears suspicious but also hints at possible collusion. Furthermore, the company was only allowed to deposit a 25% advance and pay the remaining amount in easy installments.

He said that the place where IT companies should have come will now be used for apartment projects. This decision is not only against the “Skill & Employment Oriented Economy” but also a blatant injustice to the state’s young generation.

SIDCUL, whose purpose was to promote industry, now appears to be entering the real estate business itself. The entire process clearly shows a lack of transparency. By making this decision without any public dialogue or consultation, the government has weakened both public trust and accountability.

Mahara asked that by giving away this invaluable property on a 90-year lease, has the government actually mortgaged the rights of Uttarakhand’s future generations? This is not just a question of a piece of land, but of the state’s future and policy ethics.

Allotted land separate from residential and IT park land, Congress unaware of facts: Bhatt

The land was allotted to GTM Builders, RBI, and NABARD in 2012 during the Congress regime. The allotment was canceled in 2023 due to non-use by RBI and NABARD, and a transparent allotment process was initiated.

Congress, seeking sensationalism in every revelation, needs patience

Dehradun: BJP State President Mahendra Bhatt, calling reports of land allotted for industries in the IT Park being used for plotting purposes misleading, said the Congress President is making allegations without facts and is a pack of blatant lies. He said the land was allotted to GTM Builders, RBI, and NABARD in 2012 during the Congress regime. The allotment was canceled and a transparent re-tender process was initiated due to non-use by RBI and NABARD.

Bhatt stated that objections have currently been raised through some channels regarding the allotment of R-1 and R-2 plots through e-tendering under the Uttarakhand Acquisition Rules, 2025, published by SIDCUL through tender numbers 206/SIDCUL/2025, dated July 25, 2025, and 207/SIDCUL/2025, dated July 25, 2025. It has also been objected that the purpose of the plots in question has been changed to residential allotment, which is completely wrong.

Bhatt stated that the land referred to by the Congress President is separate from the IT Park, and through Government Orders of 2006 and 2008, a total of 6.794 hectares of land was allotted to the Industrial Development Department, Uttarakhand Government, and the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (SIDCUL) for “residential area” in revenue villages Dhora Khas, Danda Nooriwala, Dada Dhora, and Danda Lakhound on Sahastradhara Road, Dehradun, which was declared as “IT Park Residential Site” in the 34th meeting of the Board of Directors held on March 30, 2012.

Out of the above land, plots were allotted to M/s GTM Builders & Promoters Pvt. Ltd., NABARD, and RBI for residential purposes in 2012 and 2013. Due to the failure of the concerned authorities to commence work on the residential plots allotted to NABARD and RBI within the stipulated time, the SIDCUL Board of Directors cancelled the plots allotted to the above units in its 61st meeting on August 4, 2023, to utilize the land for its proper purpose.

Since the plots allotted to the above units in the “IT Park Residential” were cancelled, an e-tender for R-1 and R-2 plots was published under the Uttarakhand Procurement Rules, 2025, following a transparent process. In continuation of this, tenders were published through tender numbers 206/SIDCUL/2025 dated July 25, 2025 and 207/SIDCUL/2025 dated July 25, 2025, and after following the entire process, the plots were allotted to the highest and successful bidder. All the procedures have been followed in the process and the plot in question was for residential purpose and was allotted accordingly.

He informed that in integrated industrial estates like Haridwar, Patna Nagar, Sitarganj etc., there is a provision for allotment and development of plots for residential purpose, commercial purpose, institutional purpose and health facilities etc. for integrated development along with industrial purpose, but since the above mentioned plots R-1 and R-2 have been marked for residential purpose, they have been allotted for the said purpose at “IT Park Residential site, Sahastradhara Road”.

He said that the Congress party needs to factually examine such alleged revelations, as it seems to run away when the truth is revealed. He described the allegations regarding residential plots in the IT Park as baseless and motivated by negative politics. Bhatt said that the land allotment, which the Congress President is calling a scam, was actually done during the Congress government, and after cancelling the allotment due to non-use of the land, its current allotment was also made to the highest bidder as per the predetermined process and transparent tender. Therefore, the Congress party should first decide whether it was wrong then or is lying today.