Noida Authority slams builders for unlawful foundation digging

The Noida authority has questioned Gautam Budh Nagar district administration’s move of allowing foundation digging for group housing projects that are yet to get their layout plans approved.

The Noida authority has questioned Gautam Budh Nagar district administration’s move of allowing foundation digging for group housing projects that are yet to get their layout plans approved.

The authority letter comes after realty firm - Sikka Group in sector 79 and Unitech in sector 113 - were found digging foundation and selling flats without obtaining approvals. (Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo)

Many builders were found digging foundations without the mandatory sanction of building layout plans, to cheat prospective homebuyers.

“They begin digging without necessary approvals, to give buyers an impression that they will deliver the project on time and that the Noida authority has approved the project. But this amounts to cheating as the housing projects get delayed thereby troubling innocent homebuyers. To stop this wrong practice, I have written to the mining department of the district administration,” said Pramod Kumar Aggarwal, chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

The authority wrote a letter to the mining department that has the mandate to give permission for digging only after verifying whether a developer has the building layout plan approved or not from the Noida authority.

“I have asked why it has allowed digging without the builder getting necessary approvals. Or if a developer is involved in digging without even the nod of the mining department , strong legal action should be initiated against such developers,” said Aggarwal.

The authority letter comes after realty firm - Sikka Group in sector 79 and Unitech in sector 113 - were found digging foundation and selling flats without obtaining approvals. The two builders said they started digging as their approvals were under process.

The mining department gives permission with riders so that digging does not cause air pollution or unwanted damage to the soil in that particular area.

“Digging without monitoring of mining department has scope to damage ecology,” said another official of the Noida authority.

The mining inspector, Gautam Budh Nagar Naveen Kumar Das said the department will take appropriate action against the developers, who are involved in digging of soil without approvals.

“In the last 2-3 months I have imposed penalty against 20 persons, including many developers, who were found digging without obtaining necessary permissions from the Noida authority. I will look into the issue of these two builders as well and do the needful,” said Das.

The mining department levies a penalty of R 65 per cubic metre for sand digging and R 30 per cubic metre for soil digging if rules are flouted.

“We can file a criminal case or also levy a financial penalty,” said Das.