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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4631
TO BE ANSWERED ON 20TH MARCH, 2026
DEFENCE LAND IN GHAZIABAD DISTRICT
4631. SHRI ATUL GARG:
Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has details of the defence land scattered in Ghaziabad district outside
the designated cantonment areas;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the status of the mutation of defence land records and
measures taken for the prevention of encroachments thereon;
(c) the measures taken by the Government to resolve disputes related to the closure of roads passing
through defence areas affecting civilian traffic;
(d) whether the Government has details of public utility projects such as roads and drains held up
due to the requirement of transfer defence land in the city and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the details of the policy of the Government on the excising of civil areas from the cantonments
in the State?
A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SANJAY SETH)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(a) & (b) The details of Defence land in Ghaziabad District alongwith its mutation status are as
under:
Sr.No. Name of Station Total Defence land Defence land yet to
(in acres) be mutated (in acres)
1 Air Force Station, Hindan, 2,534.07 71.72
Ghaziabad
2 Bhonja Camping Ground 30.97 24.80
3 Rifle Range Ghaziabad 161.51 60.87
4 Ordnance Factory Depot Muradnagar 90.53 Nil
Total 2,817.08 157.39
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Steps taken to prevent encroachment on defence land are as under:-
(i) Regular inspection of Defence Lands is carried out by the concerned offices and they
are required to submit annual certificates as per rules.
(ii) As and when encroachments are detected, they are removed by carrying out anti
encroachment drives after following due process of law in close coordination with police
authorities and district administration.
(iii) Defence land records have been digitized.
(iv) A Land Management System has been put in place wherein GIS layers of
encroachments have been developed.
(v) Defence Land Audit has been institutionalized from 2011-12 as a continuing process.
(vi) A methodology for evaluating “Threat” of encroachment on defence land has been
devised. Based on threat value, steps to be taken by the concerned officers have been
communicated to the field offices.
(vii) An encroachment module has been enabled in February, 2020 on DGDE website for
reporting encroachments on defence land by the general public.
(viii) Government has allocated funds for construction of boundary wall/ fences/ pillars
around the certain vulnerable defence land pockets.
(c) Closure of roads in Cantonment areas is governed by the provisions of Section 258 of the
Cantonments Act, 2006. The Act empowers the Cantonment Board to open streets for public use
and regulate their closure. Permanent closure of a street requires prior approval of the General
Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) or the Principal Director and can be undertaken only
for security reasons after issuing a public notice inviting objections and suggestions from the
general public. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) may temporarily close a street or part thereof
for repairs or for carrying out works relating to drainage, water supply, lighting or other works
permitted under the Act, while ensuring necessary safety measures and access to adjoining
properties.
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Further, the Ministry of Defence has issued a detailed mechanism on 04.09.2018 regarding
the procedure to be followed for closure of roads, with direction that no public road in the
Cantonments shall be closed by the Local Military Authority without following the said procedure.
(d) No public utility projects such as roads and drains are held up due to the requirement of transfer
of defence land in Ghaziabad.
(e) The broad modalities for excision of Cantonments located in the State of U.P and their merger
with adjoining State Municipalities have been shared with the State Government for their
comments. Since the excision of civil areas of Cantonments is linked to demarcation of boundaries
of Military Stations, further details cannot be disclosed being prejudicial to national security.
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