No compensation enough for anguished flat buyers

Court called two towers in the complex illegal and ordered their demolition

April 19, 2014 09:45 am | Updated May 21, 2016 12:11 pm IST - NOIDA:

Following the Allahabad High Court order last week directing the demolition of Apex and Ceyane towers of Supertech in Sector 93-A here, the company has now offered buyers of flats in these two towers accommodation in its other projects. But for now, the buyers are only concerned about saving their future homes from the bulldozers.

The Court had ordered demolition of these two towers, saying the structures were illegal and ordered prosecution of Supertech and Noida Authority officials for allowing the 40-floor buildings. It had also ordered the builder to pay back those who had booked flats in these towers with 14 per cent compound interest.

In view of the court orders, Supertech CMD R.K. Arora said: “If the buyers want, they can get flats equivalent to the current market value of their bookings in our many projects in the area.” Mr. Arora said the houses had seen a lot of appreciation (from Rs.2,900 per square feet to Rs.7,500) and those who had invested in them should get the benefit.

However, buyers did not find the offer tempting. Mehrauli resident D.K. Sharma said he didn’t trust the builder to follow through on the promise as the project is already late by three years. “We’ve lived in Delhi for 20 years in rented houses. We finally started dreaming about our own home after we booked the flat in 2009. All of a sudden we got to know through media reports that it would be demolished, it left us anguished,” said Mr. Sharma.

The project, which is adjacent to 15 existing towers in Emerald Court, has already cost Rs.100 crore to construct and another Rs.50 crore was needed to finish it, said Mr. Arora. “We had already collected Rs.82 crore in payments from the buyers,” he added.

The buyers said the trouble caused to them cannot be put into monetary terms. “We have been emotionally involved in this. Do our emotions cost 14 per cent, the interest we are supposed to be paid now as per the court order?” asked Mr. Sharma.

The case against the two towers was filed in 2012 by the RWA, though construction had started in 2009. The residents of the other 15 towers claimed that the land the towers were built on was meant for a children’s park.

“The buyers have been fooled by the builder, like we were. The towers have no facilities, including parking, so they should have known something was wrong,” said Uday Bhan Singh Teotia, president of the Emerald Court Buyers Residents’ Welfare Association.

In the fight between the RWA and the builder, the buyers of the two towers said they have been the worst hit. “We are the affected party and we have not been heard by the High Court. The RWA could have objected when the foundation was being laid. Why did they wait for three years?” asked Pradeep Chandra, who had booked a flat for his daughter.

While Supertech is planning to file an appeal in the Supreme Court next week, the buyers said they would also approach the court to be made a party to the case.

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