27 Shahberi developers booked for unauthorised housing projects in Noida

The developers were booked under sections of cheating, forgery and under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act 1973.

In a crackdown on Saturday, police booked 27 builders for illegally developing housing projects on ‘farm land’ in Greater Noida’s Shahberi village.

In a crackdown on Saturday, police booked 27 builders for illegally developing housing projects on ‘farm land’ in Greater Noida’s Shahberi village.

The move comes a week after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to fix accountability of Shahberi developers.

The developers were booked under sections of cheating, forgery and under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act 1973.

Greater Noida Authority’s work circle 4 assistant manager, PP Mishra,filed a complaint at the Bisrakh police station in this regard, saying the builders developed projects on farm land notified by the authority .

“They duped scores of investors. The projects were developed without map approval or NOC from the authority. The projects are unsafe for living and an unwanted incident can take place anytime,” he said.

Mishra said the developers sold flats to unsuspecting people by telling them the projects were in residential areas. “They damaged farming land. Two such buildings had collapsed in July 2018 in which nine persons died. This has instilled fear among residents and this is affecting public order,” he said.

Section 10 of the Act states, “If it appears to the Authority that the condition or use of any site or building is prejudicially affecting the proper planning of any part of the industrial development area, it may serve on the transferee or occupier of that site of building a notice requiring him to take such steps as may be specified in the notice, and thereafter to maintain it in such manner as may be specified. In case such transferee of occupier fails to take such steps, or to maintain it thereafter the Authority may itself take such steps or maintain it, and realise the cost incurred on it from such transferee or occupier.”

Mishra said the complaint has been made to prevent financial losses and ensure the safety of residents.

Vaibhav Krishna, SSP Gautam Budh Nagar, said last month Yogi Adityanath had directed officials to conduct a safety audit and act against violators. “We have taken action and booked 27 developers. We will arrest the developers and take actions as per the law,” he said.

The developers are from Noida, Ghaziabad, Delhi, Haryana, and also from Western UP.

The FIR says they were booked under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), Section 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings), Section 420 (cheating), Section 467(forgery), Section 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), Section 471 (using as genuine a forged document), Section 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), Section 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), and under Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act 1973.