Homebuyers from Noida and Greater Noida were detained at Parliament Street police station on Saturday morning when they gathered to protest in front of the BJP headquarters. The protesters were seeking immediate government action against Amrapali builders who are yet to give them possession of their homes.
Pre-poll promise
Over 50 protesters had gathered outside the BJP office seeking to put pressure on the Yogi Adityanath-led State government to make good its pre-poll promise of taking immediate action against the builders who were holding up construction.
“BJP leaders had promised us that if they come to power in the State then they will act against the errant builders and resume construction in housing projects that are stuck. However, even after eight months of forming the government, buyers are yet to get any relief. We at least want an assurance that we will get our houses. We aren’t rich enough like the politicians and builders to have multiple houses. All our savings and funds have been pushed into this one dream,” said Vijay Malik, one of the many home buyers.
Ministers’ panel
The protestors are complaining that though on August 22 the UP government had formed a three-member Ministers’ panel to solve homebuyers’ issues, nothing has moved on the ground.
“What use are assurances and committees when there are delayed and stuck projects and nobody is held accountable. Neither the Central nor the State Government seems to have made any serious effort as of now to give relief to homebuyers, most of whom also have other financial obligations...,” said Shweta Bharati, who has been waiting for a house she booked in 2011.
According to reporters there are 203 stuck housing projects in Greater Noida and 94 in Noida.
Around two lakh home buyers are yet to receive their flats because the builders have been unable to finish the projects.
“The government must intervene and ensure the common man isn’t suffering. Now at age 65, and my husband retired, all I hope for is to be able to live at least for a day in the house that we paid for. Is the government so blind that it can’t see this massive fraud?,” said Kavita who also booked a flat with the Amrapali group.
