YEIDA Seeks Social Impact Assessment for 1,600 Hectares at Tappal-Bajna for Logistics and Industrial Development

What YEIDA Decided

A letter has been sent to the Aligarh administration requesting to initiate a social impact assessment (SIA) for over 1,600 hectares of land earmarked for logistics park and industrial development in the Tappal-Bajna Urban Centre.

Gautam Buddha University will conduct the assessment, and survey teams will be formed in both districts. Surveys are scheduled to begin next week (as of late January 2025).

Background: Earlier Acquisition

Last year, the Authority issued a notification to acquire 736 hectares in Tappal, and the social impact assessment (SIA) process is currently underway. YEIDA plans to acquire 2,000 hectares of land in Aligarh's Tappal village for logistics parks and other projects outlined in its master plan.

The Multimodal Logistics Park Project

The Tappal-Bajna Urban Center in Aligarh will feature a logistics park, designed to enhance cargo handling and boost industrial growth along the Yamuna Expressway corridor.

The logistics park, part of YEIDA's Master Plan 2031 (Phase II), is set to be developed on 364 acres within the Tappal-Bajna Urban Centre — a 27,438-acre industrial and residential township near the Noida International Airport.

Phase I will cover 205 acres, with 154 acres dedicated to core logistics operations.

Purpose and Scope of SIA

The SIA, which evaluates the potential social effects on a community when land is acquired for development, will identify mitigation strategies and ensure fair compensation for affected farmers.

For the proposed 166-hectare logistics hub, a social impact assessment conducted by Gautam Buddha University under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, identified impacts on 888 families, emphasizing the need for fair compensation, livelihood restoration, and preservation of social balance to mitigate displacement risks.

Funding and Partnerships

YEIDA has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with HUDCO for funding and has secured Rs 3,300 crore in interest-free loans from the State government.

According to the MoU, YEIDA and HUDCO together will develop a habitat center on 25 acres and a convention center on 15 acres close to Noida airport. NBCC India will be the collaborative partner for these projects with HUDCO and YEIDA under the Private Public Partnership (PPP) model.

Encroachment and Land Security Challenges

YEIDA has urged the Aligarh administration to halt land registries and curb unauthorized constructions in the Tappal-Bajna area, earmarked for a logistics park and industrial projects. This step follows widespread encroachments reported within the notified area, threatening the success of the multi-modal logistics park scheme.

Residential plots are being sold to buyers from Delhi-NCR, with residential plots priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 25,000 per square meter, and commercial plots along the Yamuna Expressway fetching higher rates.

Broader YEIDA Phase II Expansion

YEIDA Phase II will extend over 2,593 sq km, bringing major urban transformations to Mathura, Agra, Aligarh, and Hathras. Four Key Urban Centers in Phase II: Raya Urban Center (Mathura), Tappal-Bajna Urban Center (Aligarh), Agra Urban Center, Hathras Urban Center.

YEIDA will acquire land in 10 new sectors, including sectors 4A, 5, 5A, 6, 7, 8, 8D, 9, 10, and 11. A Korean city will be developed in sector 4A, covering 365 hectares, while a Japanese city will be established in sector 5A, spanning 395 hectares.

What Comes Next

Following the initiation of the SIA process (announced late January 2025), the survey teams will conduct fieldwork across Aligarh and adjacent districts. The Uttar Pradesh government approved YEIDA's Master Plan 2031 Phase-II in March 2025, designating Tappal-Bajna as an industrial township integrated with the Yamuna Expressway corridor.

The SIA findings will inform compensation frameworks and rehabilitation schemes for affected landholders, following which formal land acquisition proceedings are expected to proceed. Concurrently, YEIDA is pursuing anti-encroachment actions to protect the notified area from unauthorized residential development.