A group of homebuyers at a Unitech project has offered to hand over for a year 156 apartments in an incomplete section for a year to the government to develop it as an isolation and treatment facility for Covid-19 patients.
The apartments are in three towers of ‘The Residences’ in Block G, which is separated from the rest of the Sector 33 condominium by a wall. In a letter to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, 156 flat buyers of The Residences have said that the development of a quarantine centre at the society will serve twin purposes — hiring of unemployed workers to complete the remaining work at the flats and provision of more beds for Covid patients in Gurgaon.
Proposals to set up Covid isolations wards in localities have been met with protests in several places. In Vatika India Next in Sector 83, for instance, residents have written to deputy commissioner against the establishment of an isolation centre there.
Buyers who have offered the flats to set up a Covid facility also hope that taking this initiative will help completion of the three towers. The rest of the society is home to hundreds of families. One buyer said since G Block was separated by a wall from rest of the project, they had proposed that it could be used as a Covid facility. Turning any premises into a Covid facility involves adherence to strict protocols and it isn’t known whether the residents’ association of the section of the condominium where families live has supported the proposal or not. There are other parameters like separate entry and exit that also need to be taken into account.
The government has made no decision on the offer. “We are working at multiple levels to augment our health infrastructure to deal with Covid. As of now, we have sufficient capacity but if the need arises, we may consider taking over such buildings,” said a senior government official.
“We would like to contribute in combating Covid-19 and providing jobs to migrant workers in Gurgaon. We are offering 156 flats in Block G. Over 11,000 Covid patients can be treated here,” said Suraj Singh, one of the flat owners. “Though 95% of work is complete, what the block needs is water, sewerage and electricity connection. Unemployed workers in the city can be employed to make the flats quarantine-ready for Covid patients,” he added.
According to an estimate, these flats need less than Rs 6 crore for completion. The 156 families are ready to offer Rs 1.56 crore (Rs 1 lakh each) to start the work immediately.
“And after six weeks, we will pay Rs 50,000 each again to ensure continuity of work. We have already paid our EDC and IDC (external and internal development charges) to the builder, who has deposited the money to the government. Also the excess EDC & IDC paid as compared to the existing circle rate can be used to complete the pending work,” said Singh.
Most of the homebuyers booked these flats in 2009, which were supposed to be delivered in 2012.
Following directions of the Supreme Court, the Union government has taken over Unitech and nominated its directors on the board to oversee the day-to-day affairs. The project is now under the supervision of the state government.
