Noida AOA cancels self-imposed lockdown after opposition from residents

NOIDA: In what could have been a glimpse of last year’s lockdown for the residents of Mahagun Moderne in Sector 78, its apartment owners associations (AOA) had on Monday announced a self-imposed lockdown in the housing complex

NOIDA: In what could have been a glimpse of last year’s lockdown for the residents of Mahagun Moderne in Sector 78, its apartment owners associations (AOA) had on Monday announced a self-imposed lockdown in the housing complex. However, it was called off on Monday after strong opposition from a group of residents.

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The ”lockdown” was supposed to be from April 21 to April 26, during which domestic helps, car washers, and other handymen would not be allowed inside the residential complex. Non-essential guests were also banned from entering the premises. Only delivery of essential services was to be allowed. According to the AOA, Mahagun Moderne — which has over 2,500 flats — currently has 180 plus active Covid-19 cases.

“Since April 1, Covid-19 cases here increased from just four to 180, on April 20. On Tuesday, a woman resident succumbed to her infection. In such a situation, as the AOA, we had to take strict measures to control the spread of the virus. There are hundreds of domestic helps, handymen, and car washers who frequent many houses in a day..., and also use common lifts and parks. Some residents also call non-essential guests, adding to the spread of the virus... The movement of people, who have to go to work, is allowed,” said Sandeep Chauhan, president, Mahagun Moderne AOA.

As per Chauhan, the AOA had informed the administration about the decision, and had also carried out a polling by the residents. However, the opposition in the housing complex increased by Tuesday evening, following which the AOA decided to call off the decision. The residential complex has 35 towers, 96 lifts, 2,633 flats, and accommodates nearly 10,000 people.

While some welcomed the decision, others opposed it. “It is an autocratic decision, and the residents are not bound by any rules to follow it. If the state government is not imposing a lockdown, how can the AOA do it?” asked Urvashi Chandiramani, a resident of Mahagun Moderne.

“As a result of the absence of complete administrative guidelines, restrictions can be imposed in residential complexes, with a consensus of the residents. However, achieving consensus in large housing complexes is in itself a big challenge for the AOAs. Such decisions sometimes are needed to strike a balance between health and convenience of the residents,” said Rajiva Singh, president, Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association (NOFAA).

Suhas LY, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, did not comment on this.

On Monday, the Gautam Buddh Nagar administration had asked its respective AOAs to appoint a “Corona vigilance officer” who would keep a track and report about Covid-19 cases in the district. “Every RWA and housing complex will appoint a Corona vigilance officer for each building/ tower. The vigilance officers will report about the positive cases, with lab reports, and any violation made by Covid-positive patients to presidents/ secretaries of RWAs and residential complexes,” according to the SOP.

Meanwhile, SG Homes apartment in Ghaziabad Sector 3, Vasundhara, is also contemplating a similar decision. “There are some residents, who are not disclosing that they are Covid-positive and continue to call their domestic helps. These domestic helps then go to other flats and spread the virus. We have proposed a decision to bar all domestic helps to control this. However, the decision has not been executed yet,” said Alok Kumar, president, SG Homes AOA.