Noida: No nod to layouts, yet flats sold at cheap rates

NOIDA: The building in Gadhi Chaukhandi village, where two sisters were charred to death in a fire on Monday, is one of many structures in the area that have come up illegally.

The building — Dee Heights Residency — neither had any firefighting equipment, nor was its plan approved by the Noida Authority or the fire department. Yet, these flats, which are cheaper than houses in residential societies of others sectors, have electricity and gas connections.

Residents said the builders — Rajendra Singh Rawat and Amit Rawat — had constructed three five-storey buildings in the area in the same pattern.

“All the three buildings were completed in 2017 and possession was given by the builder. However, within days of shifting, we had to replace the lights and the elevator stopped working. The material used was obviously substandard. The wiring is poor and there is nothing in the name of maintenance,” said SK Mahapatra, who lived in the building adjacent to Dee Heights Platinum.

Asked how so many illegal buildings had cropped up in the area, Ramesh Chandra, the project engineer of work circle 5, told TOI to contact a junior engineer of the Noida Authority.

Junior engineer Naveen Kumar agreed that the building had come up illegally. “Many of the buildings in the area have notices issued against them. This building, however, did not get any notice. Many of the building had been sealed too,” he added.

Another official said these flats were sold without getting the building plan approved. “Such buildings don’t follow the floor area ratio guidelines,” he said.

Asked about the illegal constructions, Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari said a team would inspect the building and take action if required.