Noida Authority should upload on its website the processing stage or reasons for delay in granting completion certificate to all the residential projects
The government’s final notification on demarcation of a buffer zone to protect the Okhla Bird Sanctuary was issued in August, but those who have bought properties in the area still don’t know what’s happening with their projects or if completion certificates have been issued for them. Many developers are refusing to inform buyers about the status of their projects and Noida Authority too is doing nothing to clarify matters. It has yet to put in place a system to inform people about the status of projects around or close to the sanctuary.
“Every project must have a completion certificate before apartments are handed over to homebuyers. Delivery of apartments without such a certificate is illegal. However, like many others of his ilk, my developer has offered possession to me in his project which does not have the requisite certificate, and keeps changing the dates on which he expects to get it. Noida Authority, too, did not give us a satisfactory reply when we tried to find out why the certificate had not been given. We have no option now but to file a petition in the high court,” says Ashish, a resident of a premium residential project in Sector 45, Noida.
Without a completion certificate, homebuyers cannot become legal owners of their apartments and they cannot form apartment owners’ associations. “No association means we cannot take charge of maintenance service etc from the developer - and the services he provides are pathetic,” adds Ashish.
The two main reasons in many cases for delays in issue of completion certificates for group housing projects in Noida are (a) non-payment of lease rent for land to Noida Authority by the developer (b) deviation by the developer from sanctioned layout plans and carrying out of illegal construction work on the project.
{{/usCountry}}The two main reasons in many cases for delays in issue of completion certificates for group housing projects in Noida are (a) non-payment of lease rent for land to Noida Authority by the developer (b) deviation by the developer from sanctioned layout plans and carrying out of illegal construction work on the project.
{{/usCountry}}“In any case, if the Noida Authority displays the status of completion certificates of all the projects on its website, it will be easy for the homebuyers find out why these have not been issued for their projects, helping them plan their next course of action against the developer. In many cases, developers haven’t even applied for the certificate by mislead buyers by telling them that the certificate is under process,” Says Rahul Rathod, a Supreme Court lawyer and resident of a premium residential project in Noida.
When contacted Rama Raman, CEO, Noida Authority, refused to comment on the issue.