Hyderabad: Parking Chaos Compounds Home Buyers' Worries
In one project, a builder who owns three flats kept four parking spaces for himself, leaving fewer for others and In some projects, spaces originally meant for visitors have also been converted into private parking for flat owners.
Hyderabad: For many homebuyers, getting a flat is only half the battle won, parking-related issues are turning into a bigger headache. Across several housing projects in the city, residents are raising complaints about parking spaces being fewer than promised, improperly marked or even sold in violation of rules.
A common problem is the allotment of back-to-back parking spaces, where two cars are squeezed into a single slot. “This forces residents to constantly shift their cars to let others out, leading to fights and congestion,” Amardeep Singh, a resident said. In other projects, parking bays have been marked close to lifts and staircases, obstructing access and creating safety hazards.
One homebuyer said that the approved plan of their project had 57 car parking spaces, including visitor slots. “But the builder allotted 71 spaces, excluding visitor parking. With more slots crammed in than what was sanctioned, there is no room to move and residents struggle daily to park their vehicles,” the buyer said.
In another complaint, buyers pointed out that the sanctioned plan clearly showed side-by-side parking for cars, along with separate areas for two-wheelers and bicycles. However, once the project was completed, many of these slots were marked as back-to-back parking. Worse, the bicycle and two-wheeler zones were converted into car slots, making it difficult for two-wheeler owners.
In one project, a builder who owns three flats kept four parking spaces for himself, leaving fewer for others and In some projects, spaces originally meant for visitors have also been converted into private parking for flat owners.
“Parking space is one of the most common issues faced by apartment buyers. In one of our ongoing cases, our client was assured two car parking spaces to be allotted through a lottery system after completion of the project and issuance of the Occupancy Certificate. However, before completion, a few purchasers occupied prime spots illegally, leaving our client and others feeling betrayed,” said Nikunj Dugar, advocate practising before the High Court and TG RERA Authority and TG REAT Tribunal.
“Parking is often treated as an afterthought in housing projects, but it directly affects the quality of life of residents. Builders try to maximise saleable area, sometimes at the cost of planned parking layouts. When sanctioned plans are altered or visitor parking is converted into private slots, it leads to daily conflicts among residents and long-term legal disputes,” said Dr Nandi Rameswara Rao, founder and CEO of Realtor Oxygenreal and a real estate expert.
Srinivasa Rao, member TG RERA, said: “Parking has become one of the most common causes of disputes in apartment complexes. We have come across cases where the number of slots exceeds the sanctioned limit, visitor spaces are diverted and common areas are misused for parking. Builders must adhere to sanctioned layouts and homebuyers should verify parking provisions before purchase.”