Posted by Mriganka Sen

Authorities in Noida and a clutch of real estate developers promised on Tuesday a “timebound” solution for the grievances of thousands of flat buyers for whom the dream of a home on the eastern fringes of teeming Delhi has turned into a nightmare.

The local administration said it will meet builders and buyers to thrash out a solution even as completion certificates remain pending for scores of residential projects owing to non-payment of land dues. Officials may also consider giving developers the option of clearing the amounts in installments.

“We are planning to invite buyers and builders to assess the problem and find a solution,” said Rama Raman, chairman of Noida Authority. About 50,000 flats whose possession has been delayed have been built by two dozen developers, who have failed to deposit around Rs 300 crore in land dues.

Real estate major Amrapali, which is facing the heat for non-completion of civil and electrical works at its Sapphire project, vowed to look into the complaints with Group CMD Anil Sharma saying he will personally inspect the site.

“We assumed that there would be no legal hurdle once the land was acquired and construction started,” he said. The move came a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav intervened in the matter when buyers of one of the residential projects took to Twitter to register their protest. Union minister and local MP Mahesh Sharma too urged the state government this week to take an “immediate call” to address the residents’ complaints against Amrapali.

According to the Group, the projects were delayed because of a raft of reasons beyond its control. It claimed that pending works in all residential projects will be completed at the earliest and completion certificate will be obtained.

Experts say such situations lead to tapering economic growth as households with money tied up in unfinished apartments have less to spend on other things.

No equipment

Buyers of the Sapphire project have alleged that firefighting equipment have not been fitted in the buildings and this is why the completion certificate has not been issued.

“This is a compromise with the safety of people living in these apartments,” said Ashutosh, a homebuyer, who also pointed out that several towers do not have lifts.

The Amrapali Group launched Sapphire, a project with 1,000 flats spread across 40,000 sq metres, in 2009. It promised that the houses would be handed over in 2011.

But the project wasn’t delivered even after a two-year delay and buyers had to move in without occupation certificates in 2014. Since then, residents have been complaining about failed lifts, incidents of fire and poor parking facilities.

However, Amrapali is not the only company facing the heat. Real estate firm Gaursons has seen swirling protests from residents of its township project in Noida over maintenance issues.

In a meeting on Sunday with managing director Manoj Gaur, residents of a society in Gaur City complained about the upkeep of the project and demanded that a residents’ welfare association be set up.

Gaur said the company has given possession to more than 8,000 buyers in the township and 5,000 are already living there. “The projects were stuck after the NGT (National Green Tribunal) imposed the ban (on construction, which was lifted in September). But there are financial constraints too,” he said, adding that nearly fiftysixty thousand flats are ready in Noida and completion certificates will be issued soon.

Fund crunch

Ajit Kumar, director of the Jaypee Group also cited fund crunch as a key reason for non-completion of its Orchards housing project.

“Our contractor L&T left the project mid-way, forcing us to look for a new one. We also have bank loans and other financial problems,” Kumar said, maintaining that the company had provided possession to 5,000 buyers till January. “Work on the project will restart by May.”