Home buyers of delayed realty projects hit by lockdown as courts, H-Rera function at a limited capacity

Homebuyers of several delayed real estate projects in the city have been hit hard by the ongoing nationwide lockdown as several governmental agencies and the courts continue to function at a limited capacity. Around 50 buyers of ILD Greens project in Sector 37C staged a protest outside the office of Haryana-Real Estate Regulatory Authority (H-Rera) on Friday for a delay in the delivery of their flats. They also demanded that the authority should conduct online hearings in the matter.

The project was launched in 2008. However, three towers in the project, comprising 400 flats, are yet to be completed, said the homeowners association. “We want the authority to hold hearings online and take necessary action so that buyers, who are paying both EMIs as well as rent, can get their flats at the earliest,” said Rajan Soni, president, ILD Greens flats buyers’ association.

Several homebuyers in the city have been hit hard by a delay in the completion of real estate projects due to the ongoing lockdown. Homebuyers claim that their cases are not being heard due to closure of consumer and judicial courts and because institutions, such as H-Rera and town and country planning departments, which oversee real estate development in the state, are functioning at a limited capacity.

Reacting to the complaints of the home buyers, SC Kush, member, H-Rera, Gurugram, said that the authority is regularly holding online hearings for project-related complaints but complaints from buyers will be accepted only after July 15. “We are holding online hearings for all the cases that are already listed with us. The matter of ILD Greens will also be heard soon,” he said. However, he failed to mention any specific date on which the matter may be heard.

When asked about the delay in the project, Alimuddin Rafi Ahmed, chairman of the real estate company of the project, said, “The true facts of the case are not being reported. A mitigation plan has been submitted to H-Rera and the residents’ welfare association (RWA) has requested for an audit of the mitigation plan and the company’s finances. We have fully cooperated with our clients so far and have completed two towers of the project, namely towers 6 and 7. We will apply for the occupancy certificate within two weeks after obtaining necessary clearances. As per the mitigation plan, Tower 2 of the project will be completed soon.”

Like ILD Greens, buyers of Unitech Anthea project in Sector 70, whose final resolution plan was supposed to be submitted to the Supreme Court by a government-appointed board on March 19, are also dejected as the plan was not submitted on the aforementioned date. “The submission of the final plan has been delayed by almost three months. The hearings in the court have also not taken place. It now appears that the takeover of the real estate company by a government-appointed board did not prove to be beneficial to the buyers,” said Vivek Tyagi, president of All India Association of Unitech Homebuyers.

Tyagi says that around 21,000 home buyers of Unitech have been left in the lurch after the company failed to deliver them their flats. Out of the 21,000 home buyers, around 8,000 to 9,000 are from Gurugram, he added.

Amitabh Das, vice president, business development, Unitech, said that the final resolution plan of the Anthea project is in final stages. “We will submit the same in the apex court as soon as the court reopens,” he said.

The buyers of another prominent project in Manesar are also facing similar issues. Homebuyers claim that despite the court giving directions to the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), nothing much has progressed in the last two years since both the land and the project were handed over to the corporation in March 2018.

“Over the past two years, a number of hearings have taken place in the apex court. We had great hopes of a resolution as the court had fixed March 25 as the final date of hearing but due to the lockdown, it was postponed,” said Hari Om Sharma, one of the 250 buyers, whose money is stuck in the project. Buyers said that they have been paying both rent and EMIs — which is putting a tremendous financial burden on them. “Many people have lost their jobs while being stuck with delayed projects. The government needs to help us out,” said Sharma.

Another city project in Sector 103, which was supposed to be resurrected, after the Delhi High Court gave directions for its revival in February 2020, has been similarly hit by the lockdown. A total of 517 home buyers, whose money is stuck in the project, say that the lockdown has brought the project to a standstill.

“Due to the lockdown, all governmental agencies, such as DTCP, and the courts have stopped functioning. Although work has started at a limited capacity, it is difficult to meet and coordinate with promoters, government officials, lawyers and other stakeholders,” said Priti Nath, spokesperson for the home buyers association of the project.

Despite several attempts, developers of the projects in Manesar and Sector 103 could not be reached for comment.