People Suffer As Glada Turns Blind Eye To Nocs: Dewan

Former president of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana (Urban) and Ex-Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, Pawan Dewan, has lashed out at the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) for subjecting citizens to harassment by withholding No Objection Certificates (NOCs). In a strongly worded statement, Dewan underscored that despite the Local Government Minister’s assurance that all pending NOCs would be cleared by March 31, 2026, the backlog continues to choke the system. He said the promise has turned hollow, leaving thousands of residents trapped in bureaucratic limbo.

Dewan demanded immediate accountability from GLADA, while terming the situation “a betrayal of public trust,” and urged the authorities to act decisively rather than issue empty deadlines. He pointed out that without the mandatory NOC, citizens are unable to execute their property registries, leaving them trapped in a bureaucratic stranglehold. “If GLADA simply functions in a proper manner and issues NOCs on time, it would not only ease public suffering but also generate substantial revenue for itself. Instead, people are being subjected to relentless harassment — a glaring example of how inefficiency is costing both the public and the state,” he said.

Dewan revealed that because of the non-issuance of the NOC’s, registries not being executed, the land purchased for difficult times is not proving useful for people. He added that while the GLADA had briefly opened the window for issuing NOCs, the relief was short-lived. “Many people have approached me saying that once again GLADA has slammed the brakes and stopped issuing NOCs”, he said, while adding that many residents of old colonies under GLADA’s jurisdiction cannot get electricity connections because they don’t have the mandatory NOC.

Dewan reminded that even the then Minister for Local Government himself had admitted that NOC cases had been languishing for nearly two years, leaving citizens harassed and helpless. Dewan said, “It is utterly shameful that under the AAP regime, government departments are functioning in such a shoddy, careless manner. This exposes not just inefficiency but a complete betrayal of public trust.”

Meanwhile, Dewan reminded that providing proper roads and civic infrastructure is GLADA’s core responsibility. “Yet several existing colonies under its jurisdiction continue to languish without even the most basic amenities. This is a disgrace. GLADA must wake up to its duty and ensure that proper civic facilities — roads, water and sanitation — are delivered to the inhabitants of its colonies without delay,” he demanded.