Buyers block Noida extension road in protest against Unitech

Residents took to the internet to express their anger over the protest and the blockade. They criticised the nature of the protest, stating that it causes chaos and major losses to the public. Agitated homebuyers dispersed from the spot after the city magistrate and with senior police officers assured them that the matter will be taken up with the builder. s

Irked by the delay in handing over of flats and inadequate facilities, over 200 homebuyers of Unitech Unihomes-1 and Unihomes-2 blocked one side of the Noida Extension road near Sector 121 on Sunday.

Residents blocked one side of the Noida extension Road. Those coming towards the heart of the city had to use alternative routes. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

The protest continued for three hours and those coming from Noida Extension had to use alternate routes.

The road was blocked a day after around 250 homebuyers protested against Jaypee Group on Noida-Greater Noida Expressway near Sector 128 that allegedly led to blocking of an ambulance, in which a seven-year-old boy was being shifted to AIIMS. The ambulance remained stuck for a half hour and the boy died.

Residents took to the internet to express their anger over the protest and the blockade. They criticised the nature of the protest, stating that it causes chaos and major losses to the public.

Agitated homebuyers dispersed from the spot after the city magistrate and with senior police officers assured them that the matter will be taken up with the builder.

Buyers have moved into the projects on a provisional possession certificate. Protesters said they had booked flats in the projects, in Sector 117, in 2009 and were to get possession in December 2011.

As many as 2,200 flats were booked in 20 towers of Unihomes-1 and six towers of Unihomes-2. However, the delay allegedly continued and in September 2015, a provisional possession was given to 300 flat owners. Of the 300, owners of 200 flats have moved in.

“I was given provisional possession and promised the completion certificate at the earliest. We have been waiting but there is no clarity on it. As many as 300 flats are finished, but there is no potable water supply and electricity is being provided through generators. Sometimes these generators stop working and we have to bear the heat,” said PN Sharma, a protester.

Protesters also raised slogans against the Noida authority for not intervening in the matter despite giving them several representations. They said that the project is yet to have an approach road, which was already promised by Noida authority.

The homebuyers said as many as 1,700 flats are yet to be completed. Moreover, flats that have been provisionally handed over have no facilities of firefighting equipment, buyers alleged.

“We took possession because of financial constraints. There was the burden of bank loans and rents, because of which we shifted in. Unfortunately, since 2015, there is no development in the society. The Noida authority had also promised us Ganga water supply, which is yet to be provided,” said Anirudh Singh.

He said that they have to wait for tankers to supply the water to the society.

The officials of the Unitech were not reachable for comment.