Homebuyers of Gurugram Sector 104 project protest against builder

Homebuyers in Gurugram protested delays in possession and occupancy certificates for Hero Homes, demanding transparency and compensation from the builder.

Hundreds of homebuyers in a Gurugram Sector 104 project held a protest outside the builder’s office on Sunday over the delay in being given possession of their homes and the lack of an occupancy certificate (OC).

At the protest near the Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram on Sunday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The project, Hero Homes Gurgaon, developed by Hero Realty Private Limited, was launched in 2018 with the original handover scheduled for last year. Protestors said that despite repeated requests, the builder had not provided any definitive timeline for the handover or the approval of OC.

In a statement, the builder said that it has submitted the documents necessary to obtain OC and the process of handover of possession will begin as soon as it gets OC.

“As a responsible organisation, we have always prioritised a customer-first approach. The project is being developed in a phased manner and all four towers of Phase 1 are already completed, and we have submitted the necessary documents to obtain the OC. The process of handover of possession will commence as soon as we receive the OC,” said a spokesperson for Hero Realty.

The key demands from the protesting residents include immediate possession of their homes, compensation for the delay, and greater transparency and accountability from the builder. The homebuyers said they would continue the protests until their demands are met.

“We have been waiting for years, and we cannot continue paying both EMIs and rent,” said Sunny Daultabad, a resident of New Palam Vihar and one of the protestors.

Mahesh Kumar, another homebuyer, said, “We were promised delivery by October 2023 but the OC was only applied for in February this year. There are seven towers, meant to be completed in phases, but there is no clarity yet. We are already paying EMIs.”

The protest also gained support from the Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association, which urged the builder to resolve the issue and ensure that the homebuyers receive possession promptly. “We stand with the homebuyers of Hero Homes Sector 104 and demand a fair and timely resolution to this issue,” said a spokesperson for the association.