RERA Clarifies on Housing Projects Registered Under JDAs in Himachal Pradesh
RERA chairman RD Dhiman has clarified on the number of housing projects registered under Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) in Himachal Pradesh, amid an ongoing controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in the Chester Hill housing project in Solan district.
17 JDA Projects Registered Since 2020
- Total of 17 projects registered under JDAs since 2020 to date.
- 12 projects have JDA partners who are agriculturists.
- 5 projects have JDA partners who are non-agriculturists.
RERA chairman RD Dhiman clarified that all 5 projects where JDA partners are non-agriculturists pertain to the period prior to October 17, 2023, when the principal secretary (revenue) had issued a clarification that even JDA partners need to be agriculturalists.
No Violation of Section 118, Says RERA
RERA chairman RD Dhiman denied any violation of Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, which prohibits non-agriculturists from owning or developing agriculturist land without prior government sanction.
He stated that out of the 5 projects with non-agriculturist JDA partners, the Chief Secretary (Town and Country Planning) had held that no violation of Section 118 took place in projects Chester Hills-2 and Chester Hills-4 in November 2025.
Chief Secretary Directs Vigilance Bureau to Seek Details
- A letter dated May 7, 2026, by Suneel Verma, Additional Secretary (Housing), on behalf of Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, asked the Vigilance Bureau to procure relevant records and documents relating to all JDA real estate projects from RERA.
- The Chief Secretary directed the Vigilance Bureau to seek details specifically regarding RERA-registered JDA projects where partners are non-agriculturalists and JDA projects cancelled with RERA's approval.
- The Vigilance Bureau has been directed to furnish the complete details sought by the Chief Secretary within 15 days.
Chester Hills Project Embroiled in High-Profile Controversy
The Chester Hills project in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, is currently embroiled in a high-profile controversy, with allegations of a multi-crore "land scam" involving 275 bighas of land and accusations of benami dealings, violations of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act.
Even revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi had said earlier that preliminary investigations suggest violations involving about 150 bighas of land valued at up to ₹300 crore.