GREATER NOIDA, July 22 -- The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (Yeida) has initiated a probe into illegal housing projects in its notified area, particularly around the upcoming Noida International Airport, officials said on Monday. The decision follows the recent detection of unauthorised colonies being developed by illegal occupants in the Tappal region, where customers from nearby cities are being lured into investing in unauthorised plots. Yeida CEO RK Singh said the illegal projects are being built on land earmarked for planned urban and industrial development and that such activities could derail the region's growth trajectory. "We have directed inspections in our notified area for effective action against unauthorised construction. If our teams find unauthorised construction in a notified area, they are told to demolish it immediately and free the encroachment," Singh said. The CEO has tasked Shailendra Singh, officer on special duty in the land department, with conducting site inspections. "We have directed the land department staff to also act against those who are behind such construction," he added. Yeida was constituted on April 24, 2001, by the Uttar Pradesh government to develop the region between Greater Noida and Agra by promoting industrialisation and urbanisation. The notified area spans around 250,000 hectares across 1,149 villages in six districts - Gautam Budh Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Hathras, Mathura and Agra, Yeida officials said. However, the authority has managed to acquire only 20,000 hectares so far, mostly along the expressway in Gautam Budh Nagar district - the site of the upcoming Noida airport, proposed Film City and other large-scale industrial projects. According to real estate consultant Ashok Kumar, illegal occupants have been selling 100 square yard plots for Rs.20 lakh or more in Tappal, Jewar, Goroli and nearby areas, promising that the investment will double in a year or two. "These people launch the projects on the land meant for farmers, and this land is notified for the planned development. When the authority acquires the land, the investor gets nothing and feels cheated," Kumar said. To prevent such incidents, Yeida will also issue public appeals warning against unauthorised projects. "We have also directed the land department to issue appeals advising people to not get lured by unauthorised housing projects promising unrealistic returns in a short time," Singh said. "People should stay away from investing in such schemes not approved by authority."...