Sec 61, Noida: Why all the hoopla around the Block D gate?

Residents of Prateek Fedora, a residential complex in Sector 61, Noida, have lodged a complaint with Brijesh Narain Singh, district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, against the Sector 61 RWA.    

Namit Gautam, president of Prateek Fedora Apartment Welfare Association (PFAWA), complained that the RWA of Sector 61, which is a federation of several small resident bodies in the sector, had locked a gate in Block D, owing to which residents of the society were having to take a detour to reach the newly developed elevated road. 

He said the gate in question is located opposite the society's only entry/exit gate. The gate blocks the way for residents who want to go out of the sector. 

In his complaint, Gautam said, “It is a violation of our rights. Residents of our society are being denied the right to use a common sector facility. The RWA wants to use the area exclusively. Why else will they restrict the entry of other residents of the sector?" 

Gautam said they had demanded that the district administration initiate action against the illegal closure of the gate. 

The RWA of Sector 61, however, has a different story to tell.

"The gate installed on the 10-m-wide road has been closed to stop unwanted vehicles entering the sector," said Vinod Mathur, secretary of the Sector 61 RWA. "And it is opened twice every day — once between 6 am and 10 am, and again between noon and 2 pm. This is also a security measure for residents. We have stationed security guards at the gate to discourage the entry of vehicles that don't belong to the sector. PFAWA has been opposing the move as its residents don't like being questioned by the guards on whether they are residents of the sector. It's an ego issue."