Owners and tenants of Antriksh Golf Avenue, a residential complex in Sector 78, Noida, hit the erring builder where it hurt him the most – halting construction work by stopping labour from entering the premises.
On Sunday, some 400 owners and tenants living in the society congregated outside the main gate and protested the maintenance charges levied by the builder for facilities that were yet to be erected in the building still under construction.
At a previous meeting, there was an agreement with the builder that no maintenance charges would be levied till the completion and occupancy certificates were obtained. But the residents, including owners and tenants, were being forced to pay maintenance charges by the builder.
The residents allege that common facilities were still not in place and construction work was on. “When facilities have not been provided by the builder, why should we pay the maintenance charges,” questioned one of the protesting resident. Tenants, too, joined the owners in protesting against the builder’s injustice.
But what made the builder come down and withdraw his demand for maintenance charges was the protesters closing the entry and exit gates of the colony, preventing any contract labourer from entering the building complex. The officials of the builders called in the police, who tried to mediate between the two to come to a peaceful resolution of the problem.
Prabhat Maheshwari, a resident, told City Spidey that the builder had agreed to withdraw his decision on maintenance charges till he obtained the occupancy and completion certificates from NOIDA. The residents will have to pay the electricity charges as per the bill raised, Maheshwari said.