Noida homebuyers take to BJP office in Delhi, demand action against builders

Homebuyers demanded that the equated monthly instalments (EMIs) being collected by banks against home loans must be stopped.

Homebuyers staged a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday and demanded action against builders who have delayed delivery of flats inordinately to allottees in Greater Noida.

Agitated homebuyers took out a rally and also protested against the party.

On Saturday morning, scores of homebuyers who have invested in housing projects in Greater Noida, under the banner of Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (Nefowa), marched towards the BJP’s head office at 11, Ashoka Road in New Delhi.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised every Indian his/her own house by 2022. Even the top leaders of BJP had promised that if the party comes to power in Uttar Pradesh, they will solve the grievances of homebuyers. However, the situation has remained the same for homebuyers, who are slowly losing patience,” said Shweta Bharati, general secretary, Nefowa.

Agitated homebuyers took out a rally and also protested against the party.

“We started our rally from Patel Chowk Metro station and walked towards the BJP headquarters on Ashoka Road. Men, women and even children took part in the rally. The police detained many protesters at Patel Chowk and outside the BJP headquarters. We have submitted a memorandum addressed to both PM Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah,” said Bharati.

The group of protesters comprised homebuyers in projects of Amrapali, Earth, Jaypee and Supertech, among others, she said.

“Before the UP state polls, BJP had promised an end to homebuyers’ woes. This was among their major promises that swayed the elections in their favour,” a homebuyer said.

“All housing projects that are pending must be completed at the earliest at the behest of any government agency or a trusted builders’ group. Complaints against builders lodged with the Noida authority must be looked into and strict action must be taken against those found guilty. Similarly, the police are hesitant in lodging complaints against the builders so, they must be told to register any complaint made against builders, at the earliest,” said Yogesh Tyagi, a homebuyer.

Homebuyers also demanded that the equated monthly instalments (EMIs) being collected by banks against home loans must be stopped.

“There are many housing projects in which work has not been resumed for many years. Homebuyers must not pay the EMI in such cases and the government should make provisions for the same,” said Bharati.

Reacting to the protest, Gautam Budh Nagar MP, Mahesh Sharma, said,”We fully sympathize with the cause of homebuyers and we understand their situation. Our state government has constituted a three-minister committee to resolve their issues but there are some nuances in housing projects that complicate the issue. Past governments have taken their share of bribes and left the people stranded.”

Noida member of legislative assembly (MLA) Pankaj Singh said that the state government is taking all steps to ensure that the homebuyers’ woes end at the earliest.

“It is a long battle that we all have to fight to get justice for homebuyers. Due to previous governments, the buyers have suffered a lot. As soon as I was elected MLA from Noida, I met CM Yogi with representatives of housing projects and called for immediate action. I had also met minister Suresh Khanna recently and told him that strict action must be taken against builders who defy the directives of CM Yogi,” said Singh.