Gujarat Town Planning & Urban Dev., 1976
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (i) "agriculture" includes- (a) horticulture; (b) farming; (c) raising of crops, fruits, vegetables, grass, fodder, trees or any other kind of cultivation; (d) breeding and keeping of live-stock, including horses, donkeys, mules, pigs, fish, poultry and bees; and (e) the use of land for any purpose which is ancillary to its cultivation or to any other agricultural purpose, but does not include the use of land as a garden which is an appendage to a building and the expression "agricultural" shall be construed accordingly: (ii) "amenity" includes roads, streets, open spaces, parks, playgrounds, recreational grounds, water and electric supply, street lighting, sewerage, drainage, public works and other utility services and conveniences; (iii) "appropriate authority", in relation to a development area, means an area development authority or an urban development authority, as the case may be; (b) an owner living in or otherwise using his land or building; (c) a rent free tenant; (d) a licensee in occupation of any land or building; (e) any person who is liable to pay to the owner damages or compensation for the use and occupation of any land or building; (vii) "operational construction" means any construction whether temporary or permanent, which is necessary for the operation, maintenance, development or execution of any of the following services, namely :- (a) railways; (b) national highways; (c) national waterways; (d) major ports; (e) airways and aerodromes; (f) posts and telegraphs, telephones, wireless, broadcasting and other like forms of communication; (g) regional grid for electricity; (h) any other service which the State Government may, if it is of opinion that the operation, maintenance, development or execution of such service is essential to the life of the community, by notification, declare to be a service for the purposes of this clause. Explanation.— For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that (i) new residential buildings (other than gate lodges, quarters for limited essential operational staff and the like), roads and drains in railway colonies, hotels, clubs, institutes and schools, in the case of railways; and (ii) a new building, new structure or new installation or any extension thereof, in the case of any other service, shall not be deemed to be construction within the meaning of this clause; (viii) "owner", in relation to any property, includes any person who is, for the time being receiving or entitled to receive, whether on his own account or on account of or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any other person or as an agent, trustee, guardian, manager or receiver for any other person or for any religious or charitable institution, the rents or profits of the property; and also includes a mortgagee in possession thereof; (xix) "plot" means a portion of land held in one ownership and numbered and shown as one plot in a town planning scheme; (xx) "preliminary scheme" means a preliminary scheme relating to a town planning scheme prepared by the Town Planning Officer under section 51; (xxi) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (xxii) "reconstituted plot" means a plot which is in any way altered by the making of a town planning scheme.