The Gurugram bench of the Haryana real estate regulatory authority (HRERA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 50 Lakh on Countrywide Promoters Private Limited for publishing a misleading advertisement in a newspaper about its real estate project Green Oaks, an official said. The authority took strong note of the advertisement published in an English daily on March 2 and sent a show cause notice to the promoter, the official added.
According to an official statement, the authority observed that despite mandatory provisions under Section 11(2) and 13(1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016, the promoter did not describe the details in a proper manner in the advertisement, which is a punishable offence under the Section 61 of the Act.
“It is clearly established that the promoter (Countrywide Promoters Pvt Ltd) has indulged in publishing a misleading advertisement to confuse the prospective allottees in making an informed choice. Therefore, the Authority hereby imposes a penalty amounting to Rs 50 lakh under Section 61 of the Act 2016,” said the order.
The advertisement shows in one full page a photo of a garden/park (Garden of Dreams) and the other page displays a picture of a club, which is not part of the project.
“While, rest of the advertisement shows facilities available which clearly are not part of the project like squash court, state of the art club house, covered pool and spa, outdoor library, rejuvenating sculptural rocks, coffee lounge counter etc. It is all misleading,” the order said.
Countrywide Promoters Private Limited is developing an affordable plotted colony, Green Oaks, at Sector 70-A, Gurugram, under Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojna Affordable Plotted Housing Policy 2016. The developer obtained RERA registration for the project in 2021.
“It is abundantly clear that the promoter has issued a misleading advertisement for a DDJAY plotted colony to show alluring images to make the prospective investor believe that the project comprises club house and such facilities, which do not exist in the project.
“This amounts to a violation of Section 7(1)(A)(i). No details, information or visuals of the actual layout or site plan of the project have been provided to enable the prospective allottee to decide upon investing in the project,” the order said.
Also, HRERA said the promoter failed to get the registration details amended as per the revised layout.
The project was launched in 2021 and the layout plan was revised in 2023.