Buyers pay price for builders’ greed

Hyderabad: With more apartments and multiple complexes coming up in the city, as compared to individual or independent houses, more instances of lapses by builders and ignorance by concerned officials are also coming to the fore.

Buyers, who have spent their life savings on these apartments, are being forced to make rounds of municipal offices and other related offices, in addition to taking legal action.

Owners say that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is not being systematic, particularly when giving sanction to revised plans. It is also not intervening during the construction phase despite several complains.

Such is the case of residents of over 100 flats in the Udaya Polygon apartment complex in Chandanagar near MNR School. “Our apartment Udaya Polygon was approved with 100 flats in five floors with necessary parking spaces. But now, the apartment has 120 flats in addition to three penthouses and a function hall on top,” said Veerabramha Panchal, resident of flat number 401, Ruby block, Udaya Polygon.

He added, “In 2013, even before the developer had started constructing the additional floor and penthouses, apartment owners had complained to the GHMC, but the officials did not act and the builder completed the construction and people have even occupied the space.”

Occupant and owner of flat no. 105, in Ruby block, K. Hanumantha Rao, said, “We had complained to Mahendar Palade, deputy commissioner, division 12, Chandanagar, GHMC. But he did not take any action and reasoned that the orders needed to come from the head office.”

Subramanyam, owner of flat no. 201 in the complex, said, “The parking space meant for 100 flats is now being used by 120 flats and the three penthouses. Even the space which had been allocated for a park for the children has been used for a swimming pool.”

The apartment owners claim that the GHMC officials were hand-in-glove with the developer. “When we sought maps and plans of the apartment, the officials demanded Rs 24,000. It was supposed to be given free of cost. They gave us the maps and plans only when we approached the state information commission. Even the GHMC official who inspected the building had wrongly reported that each floor of the apartment had 22 flats against the approved 20 flats. But in reality, each floor has 24 flats,” said Mr Panchal.

GHMC chief city planner S. Devender Reddy said, “There are deviations in the apartment and we will demolish them soon. We have also cancelled the apartment’s occupancy certificate.”