A new company, the Gomti Riverfront Development Co (GRDCo), has been formed for development and maintenance of the river. A proposal to this effect was cleared by the Lucknow Development Authority's Board along with 18 others in its meeting held here on Thursday. Talking to mediapersons, LDA Vice-Chairman Mukesh Meshram said that GRDCo would be responsible for development and maintenance of both banks of the river Gomti. He said the new company would have 13 members, including divisional Commissioner, LDA V-C and secretary, a representative from irrigation, town planning, horticulture departments and school of architecture. He said the new company would hold a meeting soon to formulate its policies, resources etc., he added. Meshram said the 28.75-km stretch of Gomti from Hardoi road bypass to Shaheed Path would be developed on the pattern of Sabarmati in Ahmedabad. The LDA Board also decided to offer the Janpath building to the offices already existing therein for free. There are various government offices in this multistorey building. LDA was getting Rs 16.69 lakh as annual rent from this building whereas its maintenance cost was more than this, Meshram said, adding, "Hence the Board decided to hand over the building to the government departments. We will charge Re 1 as a token annual rent to maintain our ownership." The matter relating to setting up a public library in Vipul Khand of Gomti Nagar was also decided and the Indian Philosophical Research Society was authorised to run the show. The LDA Board also decided to write off penal interests on the plots of 22 farmers who were allotted the land in 2001. These farmers were allotted 9 and 12 sq m land in Phase 2 (Vikalp Khand) of Gomti Nagar but they failed to pay the price of the land and thus the registration of theior deeds could not be effected. A huge amount of fine is pending against them. The land use of six slums has also changed from institutional or commercial to residential. This has been done to accommodate the occupants under the state government's plan to provide ownership to slum-dwellers. The Board approved to issue of lease to 2,363 families residing in 22 slums, Meshram said. The LDA Board also cleared the decks for the zonal plans. This process was held up since June last. As many as 197 new villages have been included in the city limits. The zonal plans will be prepared taking into consideration these villages. Meshram said that for this, a committee had been constituted and it would prepare a detailed plan in the next six months. The plan would again be put up before the Board for its approval, he said, adding that the zonal plans would be amalgamated with the Master Plan 2021. The LDA Board also constituted a committee to take decision regarding rented properties. LDA has given 2,734 residential and 1,045 commercial properties on rent. It has been able to sell only 25 per cent of them as the original allottees are untraceable. Those residing there are not original allottees hence the properties cannot be registered in their names. The committee will formulate a policy and categorise the occcupants. "We will then send a report to the administration for approval," the LDA Vice-Chairman said. The martyrs who laid their lives for the nation and those whose land was acquired by LDA for development would be given plots free of cost while the disabled persons would get land by paying just 20 per cent of its cost, Meshram added.