Other Noida housing societies too have encroachments

With the Noida authority toughening its stand on removing encroachments from the common area of Grand Omaxe, other society residents are divided on how whether such action is justified

With the Noida authority toughening its stand on removing encroachments from the common area of Grand Omaxe, other society residents are divided on how whether such action is justified. While some say there should be a mechanism to intervene and stop such illegal takeover of common land, others say the respective apartment owners’ association (AOA) should be the body to deal with such issues.

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In several residential societies, residents have either encroached upon common areas, or covered their balconies, blocked staircases or placed religious idols to block off common areas. AOAs as well as residents say this is common practice across the city, and the Noida authority hardly ever takes action.

Authority officials say it is extremely difficult to monitor every house in the city and minor issues should be resolved by residents themselves. Officials said the authority has limited staff; the planning department that is responsible for such action has just six officials.

“With the limited staff that we have, there are several other important issues to address. We take action only when we get a complaint. Even then, senior officials often mediate with AOAs to work out the issues,” said Noida authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari.

Residents said the AOAs and RWAs are best equipped to deal with such issues.

“The AOAs are competent enough to handle such issues. The authority should come into play only when the AOA or residents request it. Direct intervention in such cases by the authority may not be a great idea, as sometimes, the residents are happy enough with the understanding created over a period of time. Direct intervention by administration can be welcome in cases where there is a risk to the safety of residents,” said Rajiva Singh, president, Noida Federation of Apartment Owners’ Associations (NOFAA).

Residents suggested an online grievance redressal platform for resolving such issues.

Following the Shrikant Tyagi incident in August, a LocalCircles Survey of over 2,000 residents revealed that 86% agreed that were encroachments on common areas/spaces in their colony/society. According to the survey, there is also consensus among residents on the idea of Noida authority mandating disclosure by AOAs and RWAs of all encroachments on public spaces in their respective society/colony.