Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRera) has this year issued 207 arrest warrants against 20 city-based developers for failing to comply with its orders to provide compensation due to delays in handover of flats to homebuyers.
H-Rera officials said police had, however, not acted on the orders, prompting the regulator to move the Punjab and Haryana high court for its intervention. H-Rera has initiated contempt of court proceedings in three such cases against police for their inaction.
Rajender Kumar, adjudicating officer of H-Rera said the arrest warrants were issued between Feb and Sept after developers repeatedly ignored directions. “The lack of police action has only worsened the plight of homebuyers,” Kumar said. “We have referred the matter to the high court and police have yet not taken action. Thousands of homebuyers are suffering as a result.”
Asked about this, DCP headquarters Arpit Jain told TOI, “So far, we have not received any such notice from the court. If we receive an order, we will proceed as per the directions of the honourable court.”
Ritika Singh, a homebuyer who has been waiting for her flat for more than five years, said she was deeply disappointed in the redress system, which is failing homebuyers despite the govt appointing a regulator. “I invested my entire savings in this flat, but the builder has delayed possession repeatedly. H-Rera ordered compensation, but I haven’t received a single rupee,” she said.
Ajay Mehra, another homebuyer said he was supposed to move into his apartment in 2018. “It’s 2024 and I’m still waiting. I’ve lost faith in the process. We’ve done everything needed, but the developers keep getting away with it,” he said.
“We expect the law to be on our side, but when a govt authority takes action and it’s still enough, what’s the point?” asked Ankit Sharma, another homebuyer affected by the delays.
H-Rera officials said they hoped moving the high court would bring urgency and make developers fall in line.
