Ghaziabad, Sept. 11 -- In a renewed bid, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) is contemplating to restrict registration of properties in unauthorised colonies in its jurisdiction area, officials said Wednesday. Officials said they have decided to write to the stamps and registration department to restrict registration of such properties, while other departments, like the electricity department, waterworks, etc., will also be requested to abstain from providing utility connections in such areas. "The idea is to restrict the growth of such colonies and also not to jeopardise property rights of those who take up such registries in such colonies. Generally, people sell such properties/land to homebuyers who later suffer due to legal issues," said GDA media coordinator Rudresh Shukla. The GDA this time is banking on certain directions given by the Supreme Court in a civil appeal of 2024 involving UP Avas Vikas Parishad, he added. As per the authority's official records, they have a list of 351 unauthorised colonies involving an area of 2,944.66 acres. Apart from this, GDA is regularly taking up demolition drives in Modinagar, Muradnagar, and Loni areas, among others, to curb mushrooming of unauthorised colonies. "We will also urge police to take up strict enforcement in their jurisdiction areas when GDA seals such unauthorised constructions," Shukla added. On the other hand, the stamps and registration department officials said they don't have a provision to check legality of land documents before taking up registries. "The GDA should take up enforcement activities in its jurisdiction area. We don't have provision with us (under the Registration Act, 1908) to check validity of documents brought to us for registration. So, such restrictions may not be possible. In the past, such attempts were taken up, but officials had to withdraw the orders for putting a ban on registries of properties in unauthorised colonies," said assistant inspector general (AIG, stamps) Pushpendra Kumar....