Unitech flat owners protest against delays

Protests over delays in completion of real estate projects today reached doorstep of government ministers, including Prakash Javadekar, when some aggrieved buyers used an industry conference to air their grievances.
About two dozen flat owners of Unitech's two under- construction housing projects in Noida reached NAREDCO's annual convention at Ashok Hotel to petition Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and I&B Minister Javadekar.
Soon after the inaugural session was over, the buyers first approached Javadekar, who was on his way out of the conference venue. The Minister asked them to give their complaint in writing before driving off.
Later, the protesters tried to reach Naidu.

Unitech Uni Homes Buyers Association Secretary Pankaj Shrivastava said the Urban Development Minister promised to look into the matter.
This mid-income project, comprising about 3,000 flats, was launched in 2009 and is yet to be completed, Shrivastava added.

Buyers claimed that the developer had promised to give possession of the flats in three years.
Majority of the projects in Delhi-NCR are significantly delayed due to slowdown in the property sector and consequent liquidity crunch faced by the developers.
When contacted, a Unitech spokesperson said: "We are in regular touch with our customers and keep updating them on the project's progress. There have been some delays due to certain regulatory issues being faced by most of the developers in NOIDA and are beyond the developer's control.

"This may be causing anxiety to some customers but we can assure them that they are well protected with the penalty clause under which penalty will be paid to the home buyers for any delay, as per their allotment letter," spokesperson added.
Unitech Golf and Country Club Apartment Buyer's Association, Noida Vice President, Sanjeev Sood said: "The project was launched in 2007 but still we have not got the possession. We have paid 95 per cent of the total cost of the flat. The construction work has stopped on the site".
The top management is not responding to the letters sent by the association, he added.