Imagine moving in to an upscale apartment only to find out later that the society is not as tranquil as you had expected. Most residents of Divine Meadows, Sector 108, Noida, frequently find themselves disturbed by regular late-night parties by youngsters, mostly bachelors or students living on rent, in the society.
Residents say that some students party almost every night and the society feels more like a college hostel. They say these students consume liquor and play loud music, sometimes till the wee hours. Complaints fall on deaf ears and the troublemakers are often rude. Requests by security guards are to no effect and some residents who have tried to stop them have even been threatened.
Rajesh Rana, a resident and member of the buyers’ association of the society, says, “Students are drinking everywhere — in the parking lot inside cars, on terrace, in the central lawn and some even on the footpath in the society. They don’t seem to care about the upkeep of the society and throw cigarette butts here and there. You can find liquor bottles scattered in the premises. It’s not just an inconvenience for us. Girls and women in the society don’t feel comfortable and can’t move freely within the society.”
“There are some cases of alleged vandalism in which vehicles have been damaged. In absence of concrete proof, even the police couldn’t do anything,” says Dhiraj Kumar, another resident. Some residents allege that the vehicular parking has gone haywire as students invite guests who bring their cars inside.
A screenshot of an email sent to the society's management
Resident have made several complaints to the management saying that proper police verification process was not being followed in renting out the flats. Residents blame the builder’s staff for the chaos. The management of the society is still under the builder and residents say that the builder’s staff are doubling up as property agents.
“Residents want that the society’s norms be displayed in bold at the entrance and on the notice boards. Owners should refrain from renting out flats to students without proper verification and the phone numbers of their local guardians should also be made available,” added Rana.
When City Spidey spoke to Giriraj Singh, chowki incharge of the sector, he said, “Police verification is a must. A few verifications have been done from the society. On some occasions we have responded in the middle of the night and stopped the music. But ultimately, it’s the RWA or the builder who can stop the nuisance with their mutual coopertation.
Since the society does not have an RWA yet, residents are planning to meet the builder. They are also contemplating to stop paying maintenance if the builder fails to control the situation.
