India, June 25 -- The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) on Tuesday freed about 10 hectares of prime land, demolishing illegal shanties and settlements in Kanawani area, part of the authority's Indirapuram Extension.

The encroachment was removed with the help of the civil police and deployment of provincial armed constabulary personnel on Tuesday, said GDA officials.

"The land is about 10 hectares and has residential land use. It had been encroached upon for years now, and a number of shanties, permanent constructions, and other allied commercial activities were rampant. The entire land was freed up and will now be planned for the development of residential plots and group housing. It is estimated that the developed land here would g...