From plush to slush: Yamuna floodwaters swamp Noida’s luxury farmhouses; pools, lawns, banquet halls submerged

NOIDA: As the Yamuna swelled on Thursday morning, touching 200.6 metres at the Okhla barrage around 9am, floodwaters pushed into the plush farmhouses dotting the river's floodplain, leaving swimming pools, banquet halls and manicured lawns underwater.The inundation has revived memories of last year's record flood, when the river rose to 202.17 metres, forcing widespread evacuation and leaving behind trails of damage. For many caretakers and workers now marooned inside the compounds, the sight is unsettlingly familiar."I've seen this before. The water hasn't crossed 2023 flood level yet, but it has already entered many properties," said Ishwar, caretaker of a farmhouse in Chaprauli Khadar.

"We're watching closely. If it worsens, we will have no choice but to evacuate."

Over 1,000 farmhouses are scattered along Doshpur Mangrauli Khadar, Chak Mangrola, Assadullapur, Nangli Nangla and Wajidpur villages, stretching from Sectors 126 to 131. Many of them boast of luxury facilities, from air-conditioned banquet halls and glass facades to landscaped gardens. On Thursday, tractors were pressed into service to haul out furniture and household items from waterlogged properties.

While most farmhouse owners had already left as the water began creeping in, some returned briefly in SUVs, filming the damage from the roadside before retreating. Their security guards and gardeners, however, continue to keep vigil.The floods have come days after the Allahabad High Court directed the Noida Authority and farmhouse owners to maintain a status quo in an ongoing dispute over alleged illegal constructions on Yamuna floodplain.

The Sept 2 order followed a fresh petition by around 30 owners challenging demolition notices served by the authority, which has consistently maintained that these farmhouses violate environmental regulations in an ecologically sensitive zone.Owners have countered that their farmhouses lie four to five kilometres from the Yamuna's banks, outside the high-flood level zone, and largely consist of temporary structures that do not obstruct the river's flow.

The petition has now been tagged with earlier cases, ensuring a consolidated hearing.The tussle dates to May 2022, when the authority launched its first demolition drive against what it called "illegal" farmhouses, citing a June 8 public notice that prohibited any construction in Yamuna and Hindon floodplains. That drive saw 124 farmhouses and three clubs razed. Since then, demolitions have continued in phases, even as owners sought relief. Twice - in June 2022 and May 2023 - the high court ordered interim status quo while objections were heard. More than 300 such objections were filed, but the authority reaffirmed its stance that no concession could be granted.A new petition challenging the demolition was filed in March 2023. On May 1, 2023, the HC again asked both the sides to maintain the status quo. The latest petition, filed last month, has now been tagged with the earlier case, ensuring that all related issues are considered together.