Opposition leader Chitra Sarwara on Wednesday met urban local bodies (ULB) minister Vipul Goel to advocate for converting the excise area of Ambala Cantt into free-hold land.
“The free-hold process should be structured so as not to impose a heavy financial burden on citizens.
This is not merely a matter of land; it is a question of rights concerning the homes, businesses, life savings, and the future generations of thousands of families,” Sarwara said.
“Citizens and their ancestors acquired these properties in accordance with the statutory procedures and prevailing rules of that era. For decades, taxes, house taxes, stamp duties, and other applicable fees related to these properties have been regularly paid to the government. “The mandate and strength with which the people of Ambala elected Vij to power were not utilised to resolve this long-pending issue concerning Ambala Cantonment.
Targeting the previous BJP governments, Sarwara noted that Anil Vij, the then ULB minister and home minister, possessed the position, influence, and ample opportunity to resolve this issue between 2019 and 2024, yet granting freehold rights was not prioritised. There could hardly have been a more favorable political alignment or opportunity for Ambala, yet the chance available between 2019 and 2024 was squandered,” she said.
Despite this, the fact that these families have not yet received full and clear ownership rights over their properties reflects a serious anomaly in the system,” she said.
