Punjab Govt revives its old land law and moves to acquire 5,100 acres for nine new Mohali sectors and two New Chandigarh townships, marking a major urban expansion push.

Months after rescinding its land pooling policy, the Punjab Govt has reinstated the previous acquisition legislation and paved the way for a significant urban expansion initiative by proceeding to acquire more than 5,100 acres for the development of nine new sectors in Mohali and two townships in New Chandigarh.

A notification pursuant to Section 11 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, regarding the acquisition of 4,059 acres in Mohali has been issued. Additionally, compensation awards for 1,048 acres currently under acquisition in New Chandigarh are expected to be issued shortly, a senior government official informed The Tribune.

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In Mohali, 3,535 acres will be acquired for the development of Blocks E to J within the Aerotropolis extension, situated near the international airport, and 524 acres for the new Sectors 87 (commercial), 101 (partial), and 103 (industrial). The required Social Impact Assessment has been finalized, and the expert committee has approved the acquisition. In New Chandigarh, the state has finalized compensation awards for 720 acres in Mohali, as reported exclusively by The Tribune on June 10. The policy—which mandated that farmers receive developed plots rather than monetary compensation—provoked substantial farmer protests and political opposition, resulting in its withdrawal in August. The Punjab and Haryana High Court also issued an interim halt on the policy.

The acquisition of land represents one of the most significant efforts in recent years to accelerate the planned development in the vicinity of Mohali and New Chandigarh, which adjoin the capital city of Chandigarh. The new initiative incorporates 5,107 acres into the acquisition pipeline and reaffirms the state’s expansion plan based on statutory compensation, transparency standards, and well-defined development schedules.