Builder is broke, how will we get relief, say Kant Enclave residents after SC’s demolition order
Among those who own or have owned a plot in the 424-acre Kant Enclave space are a former Chief Justice of India, a former Union minister, a prominent Supreme Court lawyer and a former cricketer, said PK Gandhi, a plot owner, property broker and a resident of Kant Enclave.
Located at the border of Delhi and Faridabad, near Surajkund, about four kilometres from Greater Kailash, Kant Enclave looks barren from the outside and inside. The roads are poorly maintained, streetlights non-functional, pathways overgrown with wild vegetation and herds of animals around.
Among those who own or have owned a plot in this 424-acre space are a former Chief Justice of India, a former Union minister, a prominent Supreme Court lawyer and a former cricketer, said PK Gandhi, a plot owner, property broker and a resident of Kant Enclave.
“These are the A-listers. The rest are mainly either businessmen, lawyers or army men from Delhi who were looking to invest,” said Gandhi, who came to Kant Enclave in 1999 in search of a place to pour in the money from his provident fund after retiring from a government job in New Delhi.
Since then, he has followed the property’s legal proceedings.
“When I first visited this place, I thought it buying a plot here would be a good investment because a former Chief Justice of India has his bungalow just down the road from mine. I assumed the whole deal would be legally sound,” Gandhi said, adding that he felt cheated, but didn’t know whether to blame the builder or the state government.
Kritant Gaurav, another resident, said that the Supreme Court’s relief was not enough. “The court has been fair in saying we should be compensated, but the relief being offered is nowhere close to the current market rate. After years of watching other properties in the area skyrocket, we are being left with less than what we had, despite the high rate of interest,” he said.
Another resident, who only wished to be identified as a former brigadier in the Indian Army, expressed doubt that they would ever receive the compensation. “Where will our money come from? The builder is absolutely broke. They have not even been able to provide us with proper roads, how are they going to cough up this much cash?”
He also pointed out that half of the compensation for those who have built homes , will be payable by the DTCP.
