Yeida to build 5km buffer zone along Yamuna e-way

Yeida plans to develop a buffer zone along the Yamuna Expressway, allowing farmers outside it to set up agri-based businesses to support their livelihoods.

GREATER NOIDA: The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) on Tuesday said it will develop and protect a buffer zone in a 5-km radius along both sides of the Yamuna Expressway, where they will not permit “unplanned” development.

If Yeida approves the new proposal, a farmer can avail the benefit of using his agricultural land for commercial usage to some extent. However, it intends to allow this liberty only outside the “buffer zone”, said officials. (HT Photos)

However, outside this zone, the authority plans to let farmers to set up their agri-based businesses, and other benefits in a step to benefit farmers, whose land falls outside this buffer zone. Yeida will discuss and may approve the proposal in its June 18 board meeting, said officials.

“We’ve prepared a proposal so that we can empower the farmers, whose land falls outside the 5km radius of the buffer zone that we have decided to make, and protect the same for the planned development. Outside the 5km zone, on both sides of the Yamuna Expressway, we are proposing to allow farmers to build petrol pump, hotel, dhaba, resort or set up agri-based industrial units for their families. But this proposal will be put forth in the upcoming board meeting, discussed and then finalised,” said Yeida chief executive officer (CEO) Arun Vir Singh.

The authority cannot allow such activities in the buffer zone since it wants only planned growth in this buffer zone, where the authority will define land usages, and then allot the land for a particular business including hotel, petrol pump or other sort of unit, they added.

Yeida is coming up with this new scheme in Mathura, Agra, Aligarh and Hathras districts, where Yeida has its jurisdiction as it has notified around 250,000 hectares falling between Greater Noida and Agra.

“We welcome the new proposal. If approved, it will benefit the farmers, who are not left with many choices of employment or doing business once their land is taken away for development,” said Basant Tyagi, a farmer leader in Rabupura village along Yamuna Expressway.