DM assures homebuyers of resolving delay issue post elections

The district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar on Friday assured homebuyers in Greater Noida, who are yet to get possession of flats, that their problems will be addressed immediately after elections.

A delegation of the Noida extension flat owners’ welfare association (Nefowa) met the district magistrate NP Singh on Friday to demand a solution to the issue of delay in delivery of flats in several projects across Greater Noida.

“Despite repeated complaints, the Greater Noida authority is not taking action against builders who are delaying projects. We met the DM to complain about the apathy of the authority officials, due to which there is no pressure on builders to deliver the flats as per schedule,” Abhishek Kumar, president of Nefowa, said.

Singh said that the problems will be addressed. “We will call a meeting of all stakeholders on the issue to find a middle ground. Rights of the homebuyers cannot be suppressed. We will ensure the meetings of builders, homebuyers and authority officials, post the assembly elections,” Singh said.

“The DM assured us of a series of meetings with the builders and authority officials after elections. We are hoping to get a solution soon,” Kumar said.

There are nearly 50,000 homebuyers in Greater Noida projects who are yet to get possession of their flats despite paying the total cost.

Last month, the Noida and Greater Noida authorities adopted a project settlement policy that gives realtors an exit route from projects they are unable to execute. It is also aimed at providing relief to homebuyers who are waiting past the deadline for delivery of their flats.

Under the policy, a builder can exit a housing or commercial project in which construction on the allotted plot is yet to be started. The homebuyers, however, called it an eyewash.

“No rule will work if the authorities are not willing to work in favour of homebuyers. We are also planning to stage a protest against banks who are still giving loans to defaulting builders,” Kumar said.

Homebuyers also alleged that the builders are changing building layout plans without informing them.

“Apart from delay in delivery of flats, builders are also changing the layout plans. The population density ratio was also increased by the authority, which gave the builders a free hand to build more units,” Somnath Mishra, a homebuyer, said.