Mohali’s Pancham Society: 17 years on, 448 flat owners gets ownership rights

GMADA has now asked flat owners to deposit a total amount of ₹14 crore, which will be divided category-wise on a pro-rata basis

In a move to give major relief to 448 flat owners of Pancham Cooperative Society, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA), after 17 years, has given ownership rights to the flat owners.

A senior officer of GMADA said standard operating procedure (SOP) has been finalised and GMADA has asked the flat owners to pay the due amount, following which a conveyance deed in favour of allottees will be executed and the flats will be handed over to the resident welfare association. (HT File)

GMADA has now asked flat owners to deposit a total amount of ₹14 crore, which will be divided category-wise on a pro-rata basis.

At present, the owners cannot sell the flats and do have any ownership rights on the flats. It was in the year 2000 when GMADA allotted land to the society, and the flat owners got complete possession in 2006.

A senior officer of GMADA said standard operating procedure (SOP) has been finalised and GMADA has asked the flat owners to pay the due amount, following which a conveyance deed in favour of allottees will be executed and the flats will be handed over to the resident welfare association.

Area councillor Vineet Malik said, “It was a long-drawn battle, which we have won after 17 years. We welcome the move as it will be of great help to the allottees and senior citizens, who are residing in the complex.”

President of Pancham Resident Welfare Association, Harish Poplani said, “We will request all the allottees to pay the amount as soon as possible and will cooperate with GMADA at every stage.”

In January 2006, at the time of offering possession of flats, members were asked to pay an additional amount of ₹1.15 lakhs for HIG flats and ₹72 thousand for HIG Super and members paid the amount, but the builder did not pay it to GMADA.

As per the record, in 2005, Pancham Society was to pay ₹4.49 crore to GMADA on the account of pending dues of land cost, in October 2006, the amount went to ₹7.79 crore with interest against the society and now at present, the amount is around ₹14 crore. In 2012, GMADA issued a public notice regarding resuming land of Pancham Society, and the same year, 225 members filed a writ petition in Punjab and Haryana high court against GMADA, registrar of society, and secretary housing against the resumption of their housing society. In 2019, the court ordered the registrar of cooperative society that recoveries should be made from all those found guilty in various inquiries, but recoveries are yet to be made.