In Ghaziabad, the debate over land prices has taken a sharp turn as farmers oppose land rate status Quo. A recent letter from the Greater Noida Authority (GDA), shared at a village panchayat on August 8, asked the stamps and registration department not to increase agricultural land rates in eight villages. These villages, Mathurapur, Shamsher, Champat Nagar, Bhaneda Khurd, Nagla Firoz Mohanpur, Bhovapur, Shahpur Nij Morta, and Morta, fall under a massive housing project planned in Harnandipuram, spread across 521 hectares. Farmers say freezing land rates while residential values climb is deeply unfair.
Daksh Nagar from Mathurapur strongly opposed the move. He said land rates across Ghaziabad were set to rise by 10-15%, but their villages got excluded. Many villagers believe the GDA and administration care more about development projects than farmers’ rights. They argue that while others benefit from higher property values, they remain stuck.
Officials in the stamps and registration department admitted no hike for agricultural land in these villages. They explained that other areas in the district would see an increase. Yet, farmers here avoid selling their land. Pushpendra Kumar, assistant inspector general of stamps, explained that after the GDA announced the township project, very few people registered land sales. Farmers fear legal troubles and long-term financial losses if they sell now.
The GDA decided to speed things up. On September 2, it approved a land acquisition plan to push the project forward. Back in March, a committee fixed land prices for five villages. Rates ranged from ₹4,040 per square meter in Champat Nagar to ₹7,200 in Nagla Firoz Mohanpur. Farmers complain these prices fall far below nearby residential rates, which makes them feel cheated.
The GDA defended its letter, claiming it wanted to protect both farmers and the project. Media coordinator Rudresh Shukla said that any hike would have raised project costs. Still, the district collector holds the final authority over land rates. Meanwhile, farmers plan to meet the district magistrate and local representatives to demand equal treatment between agricultural and residential land.
For these farmers, land is not just property. It is family heritage and the source of their livelihood. With Ghaziabad expanding rapidly, many worry about losing both land and future security. Their demand is clear: if development must happen, it must respect farmers and give their land fair value. They see this fight as one for dignity, trust, and survival.
The clash shows the bigger struggle between growth and justice. Villagers accept that cities will expand, but they insist on fairness in the process. As talks continue and emotions rise, the final decision will shape both the lives of farmers and the future of Ghaziabad’s development. Until then, farmers oppose land rate status Quo, determined to defend their rights against biased policies.
