In a significant development, the Allahabad High Court has quashed the Noida Authority’s ban on the approval of building map revisions and the registry of apartments at Sports City in Sector 150, situated along the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway. This decision, resulting from a petition filed by realty firm Ace Infracity Developers Private Limited, brings immediate relief to around 10,000 homebuyers who can now proceed with the registry of their homes once the authority enforces the court order, as reported by HT .
The legal action was initiated by Ace Infracity after the Noida Authority’s 201st board meeting in January 2021, which had imposed restrictions on registries and building map revisions. The court’s verdict, delivered on November 9, 2023, and made public recently, sets aside this order and directs the Noida Authority to reconsider the revised building plan for Plot No. SC-02/G in Sector 150.
Ayush Chauhan, a homebuyer, expressed relief, stating, “We have been waiting for long for the Noida Authority to lift the ban on registries and issue completion certificates to ready buildings.”
Apart from Ace Infracity, 11 other developers have filed similar writs in the high court seeking relief from the authority’s restrictions on sale/purchase and building map revisions. The court is yet to decide on these writs.
Ace Infracity’s petition highlighted challenges faced due to the authority’s ban, including obstacles in completing realty projects. The company argued that it paid ₹134.37 crore against the premium land price of ₹116.40 crore in March 2023. Despite this, the Noida Authority issued a demand notice for ₹79 crore in land cost dues on March 29, 2023.
The court, in its order, acknowledged the petitioner’s difficulties and granted the benefit of a “zero period” from the date of allotment till the present, emphasizing the hindrances faced by the petitioner, including non-possession of the entire area and farmer disputes.
The order directs the Noida Authority not to realize the lease premium amount and lease rent from the petitioner for the period between December 19, 2014, and the present. It also instructs the authority to consider the revised building plan for Plot No. SC-02/G in accordance with the law.
The consortium of developers, including Lotus Greens Constructions Private Limited, Tata, Godrej, ACE, Prestige Group, Home Kraft, and Eldeco, are developing realty projects in Sports City, utilizing 30% of the land for ultra-luxury housing and reserving 70% for recreational greens with world-class sports facilities.
However, challenges persist as the Noida Authority is yet to hand over possession of at least 3,00,000 square meters of land due to ongoing farmer disputes, prompting realtors to seek intervention from the Allahabad High Court.
Lokesh M, Chief Executive Officer of the Noida Authority, stated, “We will decide on this issue for future courses of action once we get the high court order copy.”
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