Homes in Noida can opt for prepaid power meters from April

Come April, the UP power discom Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Limited, or PVVNL, will offer all residential societies and sectors in Gautam Budh Nagar the option to go for prepaid electricity meters. This, PPVNL hopes, will do away with the exhausting process of exacting outstanding bills and prevent power thefts.

And as a start, the discom has decided to instal prepaid meters in all government offices in Lucknow and Ghaziabad.

In the second phase, starting from April, prepaid meters will be installed in other districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Gautam Budh Nagar.

The department has asked for 5,000 prepaid meters from the state government.

AK Singh, superintending engineer of the Noida electricity department, confirmed, “It has been decided to instal prepaid meters in all government offices. Once the meters are installed, the respective departments will keep track of the power consumed in their offices, as electricity will only be available when the meters are recharged. The electricity department will also be relieved from the non-payment of electricity bills. This will put a stop to wastage and power theft, and people will use electricity responsibly.”

Under the new system, the departments will recharge according to their consumption requirements.

All government departments in Noida will have a prepaid meter, and a notice will be issued to offices that are yet to clear their outstanding bills.

SDMC's waste segregation project is failing because of the SDMC

Segregation of solid and wet waste, one of SDMC's most ambitious projects, has not met with any success, thanks to the proper monitoring of waste collection and lack of infrastructure in the sub-city.

Though residents are segregating waste in their houses and placing them in allocated blue and green dustbins, the trucks in charge of transporting the waste often mix the two while dumping them in dhalaos.

MK Verma, a resident of Sector 12, said, “This is happening because there is no proper system of collection and disposal from the source to the final point.”

Segregations at dhalaos are being done by ragpickers, and the waste is finally transported to landfill sites, where there is no monitoring either.

JC Vashishtha, president of Akash Ganga Apartments in Sector 6, said, “The very purpose of introducing the segregation model and allotting dustbins to societies is lost, because ultimately waste gets mixed up in the dhalaos.”

Sunil Chaitanya, a resident of Sector 10, says, “SDMC had circulated a notice saying that residential societies that do not segregate their waste will be fined. However, their own implementation leaves a lot to be desired.”

People also allege that SDMC's callous approach is discouraging residents from taking the waste segregation project seriously. 

Speaking to City Spidey, Vishal Gupta, treasurer of Lovely Home Apartments in Sector 5, said, “The casual approach of the municipal corporation has affected waste segregation at the source level. Even those residents who were undertaking segregation seriously have slackened, as they know the waste is going to get mixed up anyway. The corporation should really pull up its socks.”

Most of the officials from the sanitation department were not willing to comment on the issue. However, on condition of anonymity, one officer said, “The supporting ecosystem and infrastructure for waste segregation is not competent. We, too, want the project to become successful and Dwarka to become waste-free. However, we don’t know when this will happen.”

Is it right for a builder to hike maintenance charges to get flats registered?

Residents of RG Residency, a society in Sector 120, have alleged that they are being made to pay steeper maintenance charges by the builder. They say the builder has told them that their flats will not get registered if the hiked amount is not paid. 

Ironically, even after two years of being given possession, the builder has not completed the registration process. During a triparty meeting held last year in July, officials of Noida Authority had ordered the builder to start the process; and the builder had promised to get it completed by October 2017. However, as it turns out, the promise was hollow.

Dinesh Dewangan, a resident of RG Residency, told City Spidey that two years back the maintenance charge was Rs 1.5 for every square foot, but last year in July the builder had hiked it to Rs 3 per sq ft to be able to start the registration process. After several negotiations with the builder, the maintenance charge was brought down to Rs 2.7 per sq ft.

The society has 10 towers and more than 1,500 flats in which 700 families live. Of these, registration of more than 250 flats is stuck, as residents have refused to pay the hiked maintenance charges.

“Why should we even pay maintenance charges, as amenities such as the swimming pool, the tennis court and the clubhouse are non-functional. The builder was supposed to instal three lifts in each tower, but right now there are only two in each,” a frustrated Dewangan said.

When City Spidey tried contacting Deepak Gupta, director of RG Residency, he was unavailable for comment. 

FPCE raises demands for proper implementation of RERA in UP

In a letter addressed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Forum for People’s Collective Efforts (FPCE) has raised a fresh set of demands for the proper implementation of the Real Estate Regulatory Act (RERA) in the state.

The demands include repealing the UP state rules for RERA, formation of a permanent RERA Authority for the state, setting up a local RERA office for the Noida-Ghaziabad area and making the required changes in the UP RERA website.

The FPCE was formed by the members and patrons of Fight For RERA, a homebuyers' movement for the Real Estate Regulatory Act. In 2017, builders had petitioned the high courts of various states to terminate RERA, citing it as unconstitutional. The Supreme Court had later asked the Bombay High Court to club all petitions together and take a decision on them. This also created the need for a unified body of homebuyers. And thus FPCE was formed to uphold the plea of homebuyers against the builders.

Speaking to City Spidey, TP Tyagi, vice-president of FPCE, said that although RERA was implemented in the state, it was done in a half-hearted manner that failed to fully address the issues of homebuyers. “The state governments, both the current and the previous, have left out several provisions of the Act that are necessary for safeguarding the interests of homebuyers,” Tyagi said.

Abhay Upadhyay, president of FPCE and a founding member of Fight For RERA, told City Spidey that now the aim was to ensure proper implementation at the state level. “Our first demand was that RERA be passed by the Centre. After it was passed, various states made their own changes, many of which were against the welfare of buyers. Hence we are now concentrating on state-level implementation. If letters don’t work, we will meet the state authorities in person,” Upadhyay added.

There's a March deadline for builders and buyers in GB Nagar

The district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar BN Singh warned both builders and homebuyers to either register their flats before March this year or pay a heavy penalty.

The DM’s directive — meant to stem the loss of vital stamp revenue for the government — came during a meeting held yesterday at the district collectorate office in Surajpur, Greater Noida.

Builders and officials of the district stamp department were present at the meeting.

An official of the stamp department said, “The district administration is miffed with builders for offering possession of flats before registry. Officials said living in flats without registry is illegal, and the government is losing out on nearly Rs 334.13 crore in stamp fee.”

He added, “There are seven builders who offered possession of flats without registry. They include Amrapali Group, Divine India Pvt Ltd, Assotech Celeste Towers in Noida Sector 44, Victory Crossroad in Noida Sector 143, Man Realty Private Limited, Ajnara Homes Group and Gardenia Glory.”

Singh said, “According to data we have, 10,318 flats in Noida and Greater Noida have been handed over without possession. We called in more than 15 builders for a meeting at the district headquarters and told them to either get the registry done or face action.”

He also ordered officials of the stamp department to issue notices to all builders within a week, and register FIRs against errant builders under Section 64C of the Stamp Act. It invites a jail term of three months and a penalty of Rs 10,000.

"The district administration will first act against the builders and then against homebuyers,” an official said.  

The DM also directed the officers of the stamp department to inspect the buildings that have been given occupancy and completion certificates by the authorities. If any buyers were found living without the execution of registry, action would be initiated against the builders, confirmed the official. 

GDA approves infrastructure projects worth Rs 190 crore

Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) yesterday approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 190 crore in a meeting of the Infrastructure Development Funds Committee. The infrastructure funds will go into 13 projects in the city.

Upgrading of sewer and water lines, construction of an elevated road and a bridge, multilevel parking, and renovation of existing infrastructure were a few of the major proposals.

Here’s a list of the approved projects and their projected cost:

1. Construction of a mechanised multilevel parking in Raj Nagar District Centre at Rs 20 crore.

2. Construction of a bridge on GT Road over the Hindon river at Rs 20 crore.

3. Facelift of the four entry gates of Ghaziabad, and the gates of the District Collectorate and GDA at Rs 6 crore.

4. Upgradation of the sewage system and Ganga water supply at Rs 20 crore.

5. Facelift of Mohan Nagar intersection at Rs 1.25 crore.

6. Renovation of the road from the Hindon airbase to ITS Engineering College at Rs 8 crore.

7. Construction of the RCC drain near Lohia Park at Rajendra Nagar at Rs 5.3 crore.

8. Underground-electricity-cable-laying work in Ghaziabad at Rs 50 crore.

9. Nirmal Hindon Scheme at Rs 5 crore.

While the above projects were approved, detailed project reports have been asked for four more infrastructure projects. These reports are to be presented during the next meeting of the committee.

They include:

1. An elevated road from Ghantaghar till Bhatiya Mod at Rs 85 crore.

2. A cultural centre named ‘Subah-e-Ghaziabad’ on the banks of the Hindon river at Rs 5 crore.

3. Hindon riverfront development work at Rs 20 crore.

4. Installation of traffic lights at various intersections in the city at Rs 5 crore.

Earthquake!

The NCR was jolted by a 6.1 magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in Jurm, Afghanistan. The earthquake hit at 12.37 pm and tremors were felt in Noida for about 1 minute.

Apart from in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, tremors were felt in Delhi and other parts of northern India, mainly Haryana, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir.

Most people ran outside as a precaution. Thankfully, no one has so far been reported hurt.

The last earthquake was felt on December 3, around 8.45 pm. The magnitude was 5.5 on the Richter scale and the epicentre was at Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand.

DJB is banning booster pumps, so will it ensure proper water pressure in Dwarka?

In Dwarka, Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has issued a notice about removing booster pumps from water lines. Most RWAs and managements of residential societies are raising their concerns about the notice, as DJB’s water supply does not have enough pressure.    

V Selvarajan, secretary of Federation of Cooperative Group Housing Societies and a resident of Diamond Square Apartments in Sector 6, said, “We need to take up this matter with DJB. Because of the low water pressure in DJB’s supply, water does not reach the upper floors without boosters. With summers approaching, this sudden decision of removing boosters is not justified. DJB should first address the pressure problem and then issue these notices.”

Residents are sharing their opinion in groups that have representation from the authorities too. Amal Kumar Mandal, a resident of Sector 10, said, “Though booster pumps are illegal, many people across Dwarka had to instal them because of the poor water force. On the other hand, fines are also being imposed for drawing water from borewells. If booster pumps, too, are prohibited, societies will have to depend on water tankers. This is a grave problem and needs to be resolved.”

Ironically, some RWAs and managements of residential societies have welcomed DJB’s move. According to them, if boosters are removed from the main supply line, there will be equal distribution of water to every house within residential societies. However, even these people have maintained that DJB should ensure a good pressure in the supply. 

Now, ward for the elderly at Noida district hospital

The district hospital of Noida now has a senior citizens’ ward to provide them respite from standing in long queues at the OPD. The special ward will have eight beds.

Dr Ajay Agarwal, chief medical superintendent of the district hospital, confirmed the same.

He said, “All facilities will be made available in this ward, and staff, including doctors, will be posted round the clock. Destitute elderly citizens will also be admitted here.”

Dwarka residents and guards will now patrol the streets at night with the police

The concept of community policing has been gaining ground in Dwarka for the past few months. Last night, Rajendra Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Dwarka, urged residents to come forward and assist them in patrolling the sub-city at night.

Addressing residents on a WhatsApp group, Singh wrote, “Under the ‘Self Policing Scheme’, our beat officers will undertake night patrolling in collaboration with the guards of residential societies. This scheme has been started as a pilot project in Sector 9 and Sector 22, and will soon be extended to other sectors. The managing committee members of societies in the two sectors are requested to cooperate and allocate one guard every night who can patrol the area, along with our beat constable.”

RWAs, managements of residential societies, social organisations and private security guards have now started preparing crime-related data pertaining to their specific localities. These details will be shared with the local police.   

The residents have been forthcoming with their cooperation.

Pankaj Sharma, a resident of Munirka Apartments, Sector 9, who has been surveying the parks of his neighbourhood, along with security guards, has sent his observations to the ACP. He said, “My first attempt at surveillance has been satisfactory. If I continue my vigil in the surrounding areas, I will be able to give more comprehensive and concrete feedback. I have identified several dark spots and stretches that are severely crime-prone and need police attention.”

Advocate KS Bhati, president of Federation of RWAs of Sector 9, said, “The concept is revolutionary and is required in a country like ours, in which the police force is woefully inadequate.”

Talking to City Spidey about the modus operandi, Singh said, “Every night, we will employ the services of guards and residents from different societies. For instance, in a sector with, say, 20 societies, we will employ residents and guards from five societies every night. This way, these five societies will get their second turn after every four days. A roster shall be maintained.”

SC orders Amrapali to submit a detailed plan on delivery of 41,000 flats

The Supreme Court today ordered realtor Amrapali Group to submit to the court a comprehensive plan on how it plans to deliver 41,000 flats to homebuyers in various project within a week’s time.

The next date of hearing has been scheduled for February 21.

KK Kaushal, a flat buyer of Amrapali Group, told City Spidey that Amrapali Group presented local realtor Galaxy Group as a co-developer.

“Galaxy Group has a corpus of Rs 500 crore, which it wants to invest in the five projects of Amrapali,” explained a buyer.

The SC also asked Galaxy Group to submit a plan on how it plans to work with Amrapali Group, and start construction. “These details, too, are to be submitted to the court within a week,” Kaushal added.

Amrapali has liabilities to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore to official agencies, and owes more than Rs 1,000 crore to about 10 banks. The realtor needs about Rs 3,000 crore to complete all its ongoing projects.

The court also ordered Amrapali Group to pay up 10 per cent of the Rs 650 crore in land due to Noida Authority. It also directed the builder to put in place all fire-safety measures and electrical equipment in Phase I of Amrapali Silicon City project.

On September 4, National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted insolvency proceedings against Amrapali and appointed an interim resolution professional to manage the company.

Under the order, the tribunal issued a moratorium prohibiting any fresh proceedings, or continuation of any proceedings, against Amrapali Silicon City.

East Delhi: Have pending water bills? Prepare for a notice from DJB

The cooperative group housing societies (CGHS) of East Delhi are likely to receive notices on their pending water bills from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). A senior officer from the DJB's Mayur Vihar office informed City Spidey that a meeting in this regard was held today. Delhi News

“Meetings are being conducted across the DJB zonal offices of East Delhi. We are in the process of sending notices to the housing societies that have water bills over Rs 10,000,” the officer said. “This process has been initiated at the behest of the Delhi government,” he added.

When City Spidey asked the DJB officer if booster pumps would be banned in East Delhi as well, he answered in the negative.

Sunil Kumar, zonal revenue officer (ZRO), DJB office of Mayur Vihar Phase I, said, “We are not issuing any notices on booster pumps. East Delhi’s societies were established around three decades back when borewells were the only source of water.”

These are government-owned vehicles, and they still ply with bull bars!

Although the transport department of Gautam Budh Nagar had recently passed an order on removing bull bars from vehicles, many government-owned vehicles are still seen sporting these fittings in the district. Noida News

When City Spidey visited the office of the city magistrate in Sector 19, we found some glaring examples of this violation. Two vehicles with the number plates UP13AV1192 and UP75T4245 still had bull bars on them. These bars were also found on a white Mahindra Bolero sporting the initials of a sub-divisional magistrate, and on a Maruti Swift Dzire with a "Bharat Sarkar" label.

The transport department has not taken any action against the vehicles that are still plying on the roads with bull bars.

When City Spidey spoke to BN Singh, district magistrate of Gautam Budh Nagar, about the issue, he said that all government-owned vehicles would be scrutinised and made to remove the banned fittings. He added that vehicles entering Gautam Budh Nagar from other districts would also have to comply with this order.

According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, if you are caught driving a car with these fittings, you will be fined Rs 1,000. And if you are caught repeating the same offence, a fine of Rs 2,000 will be levied. A person who trades in these accessories can also attract a fine of up to Rs 5,000.

Bull bars are fitted in front of vehicles to prevent damage in case of collisions. Ironically, these very fittings pose a serious threat to the safety of both passengers inside the vehicle and any pedestrian or vehicle they do happen to collide with. The act of fitting bull bars is in contravention of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 and attracts a penalty under Section 190 and 191 of the Act. 

Arunendra Pandey, the ARTO of Gautam Budh Nagar, assured City Spidey that all government officers would soon remove bull bars. “Most of the officials were not aware of the order,” he added.

Pandey also said that by the end of this week, the transport department would start a drive to identify the cars that had not yet complied with the order and a penalty would be levied on them.