Greater Noida West: Tensions escalated at Devika Gold Homes in Greater Noida West as the Apartment Owners Association (AOA) and the builder clashed over the society handover, despite clear directives from both the Allahabad High Court and the Greater Noida Authority (GNIDA).
Following a long-standing dispute, elections were held in April this year for the AOA, with the group led by Anurag Khare emerging victorious. The newly elected AOA was registered with the Registrar in Meerut, but the builder reportedly refused to hand over maintenance and operations to the association. This led the AOA to approach the courts and the GNIDA for redressal.
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AOA President Anurag Khare claims that the court ruled in their favour, and that the GNIDA’s OSD (Officer on Special Duty) also issued a written directive to the builder, instructing that the handover be completed without further delay.
Sunday Showdown: AOA Attempts Handover, Builder Allegations Follow
Acting on the court and GNIDA orders, the AOA arrived on Sunday morning with a new professional security agency, plumbers, and electricians to formally take over the society’s operations. According to the AOA, the existing staff were assured that they would not be displaced and were welcomed to continue working; most of them reportedly agreed to cooperate.
However, by 10 AM, the situation turned tense. The builder’s team alleged that the AOA had forcefully removed the existing staff and engaged in aggressive behaviour. They approached the police with complaints of misconduct.
Anurag Khare countered these allegations, stating that no such incidents occurred and that the entire premises are under CCTV surveillance, which could verify the truth. He further added that the police, instead of acting on existing court and authority orders, demanded a separate written directive from GNIDA before intervening.
Meanwhile, videos were circulated on social media by people claiming to support the builder, challenging the legitimacy of the AOA’s handover process. The AOA, however, maintains that all legal documents are in place and their takeover is entirely lawful.
Recurring Pattern in Greater Noida West
This is not the new incident in Greater Noida West. Similar conflicts have previously emerged in other societies in Greater Noida West, such as one involving a well-known builder, where prolonged disputes between AOAs and builders over handovers led to multiple police complaints.
Despite the recurring nature of such disputes, there is still no clear policy or SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) from GNIDA or local police to streamline and enforce the handover process in a time-bound and conflict-free manner. This lack of clarity has often allowed builders to delay or obstruct the process, leaving residents caught in the crossfire.
The Bigger Question
With the court and GNIDA both supporting the AOA’s position, the incident raises a critical question: When and how will the police step in to uphold lawful handovers?
And more importantly, will the Greater Noida Authority finally frame a clear, enforceable policy to prevent such builder-resident conflicts from repeating in future?