Salt Lake land transfer legal now

Gazette Notification Issued; Lease Right Of Residential Plots Can Be Sold For A Fee

Suman Chakraborti TNN 

Kolkata: The state government this week has issued a gazette notification, legalizing leasehold residential land transfer in Salt Lake. 
    State urban development secretary Debashis Sen said transfer of lease is now permissible for residential plots. “However, a system of checks and balances will be in place,” he said. 
    The notification, which has been issued by order of the governor, mentions that there are about 13,000 residential plots in Salt Lake and most of them have been leased out to people for residential purpose on a subsidized rate. The government, the notification says, had allowed transfer of residential plots of Kalyani township and also of nonresidential plots in Salt Lake in 2005. The lease of such plots can be transferred for a permission fee under certain terms and conditions. 
    Residential plots in Salt Lake had been leased out by the government for a tenure of 999 years. 
    The notification mentions that the leaseholders of residential plots or houses in Bidhannagar will be allowed to transfer their leasehold rights for an unexpired term by paying a transfer fee of Rs 5 lakh for each cottah. Those who would like to transfer the leasehold rights will have to inform to the state urban development department stating the intention for such transfer. The fees will, however, not be applicable for those transferring lease rights to father, mother or spouse. The provisions of the notification apply to the lessees or occupants of stalls, shops and the members of housing cooperative societies in Salt Lake. All existing and pending applications and cases will also come under the purview of the notification. 
    The notification also mentions that in case of a transfer of lease right, all the terms and conditions of the original lease deed executed between the government and the lessee of the residential plots or building shall also apply to the person who is buying the leasehold right. And that will apply to all subsequent transfers as well. It has also been decided that the same will be applicable for plots that have already been sold or transferred. According to civic sources, around 35% of plots in Salt Lake have been illegally “sold” or transferred earlier. 
    According to officials, the process of allowing leaseholders to transfer their lease rights will have several steps. Before the urban development department checks and verifies a lease transfer application and gives permission, the matter will also be checked by the Bidhannagar Municipality and also by the police. 
    Earlier this month, the state cabinet, chaired by the chief minister, passed the proposal to give legal stamp to leasehold residential land transfer in Salt Lake. By taking this major decision, the government will be able to earn a good amount of revenue. 
    The government expects to raise more than Rs 1,000 crore through the process of regularizing the sale of unsold plots and legalizing the sale that took place earlier.