Ghaziabad, Dec. 3 -- The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NBCC (India) Limited, a Government of India enterprise, for taking up the redevelopment plan of the authority's Tulsi Niketan housing scheme, officials said on Tuesday. Developed in 1989-90, the scheme spans 56,639 square metres and is located adjacent to Wazirabad Road near the Delhi border. Officials said the flats have become dilapidated and unsafe due to repeated waterlogging during monsoons and years of poor maintenance. "The Tulsi Niketan scheme currently houses 2,292 flats, 60 shops, and over 20,000 residents. The scheme's 2,004 houses for economically weaker sections (EWS) and 288 for lower income groups (LIG) will be redeveloped with modern amenities. The GDA, in collaboration with private developers, will construct new multi-storey residential buildings on a 16-acre area. A survey by the GDA found many buildings to be dilapidated and unsafe for habitation, which is why this redevelopment process is being initiated," the GDA said in a statement. It also clarified that the redevelopment work will not incur any financial burden on either the authority or the allottees. "The MoU has been signed with the NBCC (India) Limited. They will initially take up a feasibility study in next eight weeks, followed by a three-year development period on selected land parcels. NBCC will act as the project management consultant for the project and provide full technical and administrative support from planning to project completion. Under the feasibility study, the NBCC will draw plans about viability of the redevelopment project, shifting of existing occupants of the Tulsi Niketan scheme, and other issues," said Rudresh Shukla, GDA's media coordinator. Nand Kishor Kalal, GDA's vice-chairperson, did not respond to repeated calls on Tuesday. On March 18, the GDA board approved Tulsi Niketan's redevelopment plan, which proposes demolishing the old ground and two-storey flats and replacing them with multi-storey buildings. The structural deterioration of Tulsi Niketan has been flagged in past studies. A 2009 report by IIT Roorkee found the buildings' condition had worsened. In 2018, a study by Jamia Millia Islamia recommended dismantling the units. A recent GDA survey completed in August identified 2,292 residential flats in the scheme. Officials have clarified that property rights of residents will not be altered under the redevelopment plan. Earlier, HT reported on August 27 that GDA completed the survey....