Lucknow: The Gorakhpur Development Authority (GDA) is set to strengthen security and enforcement across its expanding properties with the deployment of 48 additional ex-servicemen.
The new personnel will be deployed across the four zones of the Gorakhpur Master Plan-2031 (revised). Their responsibilities will include supporting action against illegal construction and unplanned development, maintaining law and order during demolition and sealing drives, and protecting GDA properties and public assets.
The authority has also approved a 10% annual increase in the honorarium of its existing and proposed enforcement personnel. With the expansion, the number of ex-servicemen working with GDA’s enforcement teams will rise from the current 12 to 60.
GDA to Add 48 Ex-Servicemen
At present, two GDA enforcement teams have 12 ex-servicemen, comprising two Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs), five armed guards and five unarmed guards.
The GDA board approved the addition of 48 personnel during its 128th meeting. The proposed deployment includes:
- 4 additional JCOs
- 23 armed security guards
- 21 unarmed security guards
This will take the total strength of ex-servicemen associated with the enforcement teams to 60.
The expansion comes as the authority handles demolition, sealing and encroachment drives across its four zones while also securing an increasing number of its properties and assets.
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Focus on Illegal Construction and Public Assets
The additional personnel will have responsibilities beyond routine security. They will support GDA’s enforcement operations against illegal construction and unplanned development under the revised Gorakhpur Master Plan-2031.
They will also help monitor and protect important GDA-managed properties and public assets, including parks, jetties, Chiluatal and Ramgarh Lake.
The larger force is expected to strengthen the authority’s ability to maintain security during enforcement operations while providing regular surveillance of its properties.
With development activity expanding across Gorakhpur, the GDA has been increasing its property base. The authority has said that its existing 12-member ex-servicemen force is not sufficient to meet the growing security and enforcement requirements.
Honorarium to Rise by 10% Annually
Alongside the recruitment plan, the GDA board has approved a higher honorarium for enforcement personnel.
The decision follows a demand from existing employees for honorarium levels comparable to those provided by the municipal corporation. Personnel had also cited rising living costs while seeking the revision.
Under the approved structure, monthly honorariums will increase as follows:
- JCOs: ₹40,000 to ₹44,000
- Armed guards: ₹20,500 to ₹22,550
- Unarmed guards: ₹18,500 to ₹20,350
The approved arrangement also provides for a 10% annual increase in the honorarium of existing and proposed enforcement personnel.
Monthly Expenditure to Rise Significantly
The increase in manpower and honorarium will substantially raise GDA’s monthly expenditure on these personnel.
At present, the authority spends around ₹2.75 lakh per month on 12 employees. After the approved expansion, the expenditure for all 60 positions is expected to reach ₹14.24 lakh per month.
The increase reflects both the larger workforce and the revised honorarium structure.
For GDA, the additional expenditure comes as part of efforts to strengthen protection of its properties and improve enforcement capacity across the four zones.
Applications Invited for 22 Guard Positions
The recruitment process has already begun for a part of the approved expansion.
The GDA has invited applications for 22 guard positions, including eight armed guards and 14 unarmed guards.
The honorarium for these positions will be ₹20,500 per month for armed guards and ₹18,500 for unarmed guards under the current recruitment terms.
Interested ex-servicemen registered with the District Sainik Welfare Corporation have been invited to appear at the Rapti Auditorium of the GDA on September 22 at 11 am.
The recruitment will provide an opportunity for eligible former military personnel to take up security and enforcement-related assignments with the development authority.
A Wider Role for Ex-Servicemen
The GDA’s decision gives ex-servicemen a wider operational role in managing urban development-related enforcement and property security.
Their deployment will cover activities ranging from security during demolition and sealing operations to monitoring important public assets. The additional personnel will also help the authority respond to the security requirements created by its expanding property portfolio.
The combination of additional manpower and an annual honorarium increase is aimed at strengthening the enforcement system while improving the compensation structure for personnel already working with the authority.
For Gorakhpur, the move links two needs—stronger protection of public properties and more manpower for enforcement operations. As the city continues to expand, the GDA’s larger enforcement force is expected to support better monitoring of development activity and public assets.
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