Mahira homebuyers in Gurugram demand delivery of flats before Diwali

Some 1,500 buyers have been left in the lurch since May 17 when the Department of Town and Country Planning cancelled the project’s licence.

About 100 homebuyers of Mahira Homes in Sector 68 of Gurugram held a protest at the project site on July 10, demanding delivery of their flats before Diwali in October.

Some 1,500 buyers have been left in the lurch since May 17 when the Department of Town and Country Planning cancelled the project’s licence, alleging that the developer, Mahira Infratech, had submitted fabricated bank guarantees and forged signatures of bank officials.

Sai Aaina Farms, an arm of the Mahira Group, was constructing the affordable group housing project.

Also Read: Gurugram STP writes to DTCP requesting change in payment plan for Mahira Group

The homebuyers told Moneycontrol that after making 95-100 percent of the payments, they now face uncertainty over delivery of their flats. The licence was cancelled when about 80 percent of the construction was complete.

“We request chief minister Manohar Lal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into our plight. The DTCP cancelled the licence four years after the submission of the documents. Were they sleeping all the time when we were making payments to the builder? We want to move into our home before Diwali – either the government should complete it or let Mahira complete it,” said Tarang Aggarwal, one of the buyers.

The Mahira Group had appealed against the cancellation of the licence in the Chandigarh DTCP office and the next hearing is scheduled on July 26.
District Town Planner-Enforcement Amit Madholia declined to comment on the matter, citing the builder’s plea in the DTCP Chandigarh.
Senior town planner Narendra Singh Solanki wrote to the Mahira Group on July 7, instructing it to stop collecting payments from the homebuyers.

Also Read: Gurugram STP writes to DTCP Chandigarh seeking Rs 25 lakh for evaluation of completion cost of Mahira Infratech’s Sector 68 project

“…to protect the interest of the allottees of the projects, a decision has been taken to issue the instruction to stop collecting the payments and charging the interest penalty for the balance instalments and do not cancel any unit till the construction of the project is completed as per the construction-linked plan policy,” the STP wrote.

He also asked the Mahira Group to submit a compliance report in this regard within 10 days. Solanki was not available for comment.

“Solanki is waiting for the outcome of the hearing to take a final decision. The DTCP is claiming that they will complete the project and Mahira is claiming that they will do it, but no formal communication has been made in this regard,” said Kumar Gaurav, another homebuyer.

Also Read: Mahira to complete Sector 68 project if it gets stay on order cancelling its licence: Senior Gurugram Town Planner

The homebuyers filed several complaints with the Haryana government and they were told that if the decision doesn’t go in Mahira’s favour during the July 7 hearing, the DTCP would take over the project after July 10 to complete it, Gaurav said.

“But now, that date has also passed and nothing has been done yet,” he said.

Separately, a decision with regard to the release of payment to Space Combine, a firm selected by the Haryana Urban Development Authority to evaluate the work remaining at the Sector 68 project, is still pending, said a person familiar with the matter.