Noida authority not to issue occupancy papers for Omaxe project over pending land due

The Noida authority on Tuesday said it has decided not to an issue occupancy certificate (OC) for a completed housing project developed by Omaxe in Sector 93B if the realty firm fails to clear land due of Rs250 crore.

Omaxe Limited has failed to deposit land dues of Rs250 crore, which is owed in lieu of the land allotted for its luxurious housing towers — Grand Omaxe — that is located along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway.

The move comes after the Allahabad high court directed the authority not to issue an OC for any housing project developed by Omaxe Limited in the jurisdiction of the development authority.

“We will implement the high court order in totality. We will not issue OC to any housing project without the Omaxe clearing land dues of Rs250 crore for the Grand Omaxe project,” Manmohan Mishra, financial controller of the Noida authority, said.

On March 23, the Allahabad high court, in response to a petition filed by a resident, Satyavikram, for expediting registry of flats, gave an interim order: “We direct the development authority (Noida authority) not to issue occupancy certificate/completion certificate in respect of remaining towers, if any, in the project in question (Grand Omaxe) and also in other projects within their jurisdiction.”

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 28.

Satyavikram and 300 other residents have already started living in Grand Omaxe housing society since 2012.

“I hope that due to the pressure of the high court order, the builder will deposit the due and the authority will pave the way for executing registry of the apartments,” Satyavikram, who filed the plea on February 27, 2018, said.

Residents asked why they should suffer for builders’ fault even after paying the total cost on time. As many as 300 residents are living in flats since 2012 without legally owning them. Work on the project, in which there are 1,320 flats in 22 towers, was started in 2008.

“For the last four years, these 300 flat owners have been running from pillar to post (for relief) but neither the builder/officials nor the politicians in power helped us. Finally, a flat owner approached the court for relief. We hope the process will be done now,” PVS Prakash, secretary, apartment owners association, Grand Omaxe, said.

An Omaxe representative said the Noida authority is yet to reply to its letter on land dues.

“The matter is sub judice. We have applied for rescheduling of payment as per the policy of the Noida authority, but we are yet to hear from the authority. We will apprise the Allahabad high court of this fact,” Shravan Kumar Govil, vice-president, Omaxe Limited, said.

Omaxe Limited has another housing project, Forest Spa, located in the same sector. The Forest Spa has 216 flats and around 60% of the flat owners have moved into their flats in the incomplete project.