"The notification of land acquisition in five villages of district Gautam Budha Nagar (GBN) has been revoked and they are allowed to negotiate directly with the builders/developers," said SK Sharma, District Magistrate of district GBN.

"If this policy becomes a success, it can be extended to other villages," added Sharma.

These villages along with 25 others were earlier in the jurisdiction of Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) but were transferred to Bulandshahar-Khurja Development Authority (BDA) in November 2007.

The process of land acquisition - notification of Section (4) in these five villages was started in July this year. These five villages are Ramgarh, Citavali, Bhogpur, Bheel Akbarpur and Kamrala Chakrasenpur.

High-tech cities are proposed to be developed on this land. "The developers/ builders have to develop roads and other infractures for their cities besides developing connecting roads up to the villages whose land they will purchase.

As per the agreement the builders/ developers are also liable to develop roads, sanitation facilities and electrification of the villages on the lines of Noida and GNIDA are doing in the villages under their jurisdiction," said Harsh Tankha, Vice-Chairman of BDA.