Homebuyers of Amrapali housing projects in Noida and Greater Noida on Sunday said that there should be no revision to the original layout of each project as they have paid preferential location charges for their respective units
The move comes after buyers learnt of a plan to alter layouts to make more units and change the land use of many projects in Noida and Greater Noida. They have decided to stage a protest and write to all concerned government offices.
“Homebuyers have the first right over these lands as they have paid preferential location charges (PLC). All these facilities have been provided in the master plan on the basis of density of population in the said projects. These facilities cannot be taken away without changing the master plan, and any attempt to do so clearly violates building regulations. The move affects the rights of the apartment owners who made their choice on the basis of original layout,” said Abhishek Kumar, president, Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA)
In October 2017, the Bank of Baroda filed a plea in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to recover its ?97.30 crore, dragging the Amrapali Group to corporate insolvency proceedings. The NCLT appointed a resolution professional to take control of the realty form. A group of buyers filed a plea in the Supreme Court in November 2017, seeking justice. In February 2019, the Supreme Court asked Delhi police to arrest directors of the Amrapali for cheating homebuyers.
The Supreme Court then appointed a receiver on July 23, 2019, to control the debt-ridden Amrapali Group’s housing projects. The receiver was tasked with carrying out registration of ready flats, accepting payments from buyers, selling unsold units, and dealing with the state-owned NBCC (India) Ltd, which was asked to complete the remaining construction. R Venkataramani, senior advocate and the receiver appointed by the top court is said to have proposed the plan to alter the layouts and land use plans of the project.
“A proposal has been submitted in the apex court proposing revision in layout as there is a plan to make residential towers at spaces where low-rise commercial projects were approved in the original plan. If a tall residential tower comes up at such a space, it will block sunlight, air and other natural resources over which a buyer has right as an allottee,” said Manish Kumar, an Amrapali homebuyer. Buyers also said that utility services such as parks, sewage treatment plants and others need space and building more towers will increase density affecting their interests.