Payment of maintenance charges for common areas has long been a bone of contention between Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) and residents and developers in GDA-administered colonies.
To sort out the issue, the state government has formulated a new policy that will give rights to the development authority to levy and hike maintenance charges.
As per the new policy, private developers will have to deposit 45% of the annual maintenance charges in one go with the GDA at the start of construction. And on vacant plots, the builders will have to pay 25% of the yearly upkeep fees till the start of construction. Post-handover of the society to the RWAs, the residents body will have to keep paying to GDA.
“Maintenance charges are imposed to ensure that civic amenities like water, roads and sewerage services are attended to. However, due to lack of clarity on the issue in colonies developed by development authorities across the state, we are often at loggerheads with RWAs or developers. The new policy has cleared all the doubts,” said a GDA official.
Based on the cost inflation index, the development authorities will be free to hike maintenance charges and in case of a dispute, a committee comprising GDA officials and two members of RWAs would sort out the issue, the official said. “In a group housing society, developers will have to pay maintenance charges for unfinished towers also,” said the official.
Reacting to the development, Alok Kumar of Fed AOA, said, “There have been numerous instances of disputes between developers and residents on the issue of maintenance charges. The new policy will put an end to those disputes.”
