BENGALURU: Resident welfare organization Karnataka Chapter (earlier known as Fight for RERA) has demanded that the state government and Karnataka RERA Authority to implement Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in letter and spirit. Over 75 Homebuyers across the state participated in the protest on Saturday at Town Hall to air their grievances.
The Real Estate Act 2016, establishes Real Estate Regulatory Authority in all states of the country to regulate the realty sector and act as an adjudicating body to redress disputes.
However the protestors claimed that K-RERA has failed to address the complaints lodged by the homebuyers.
Despite having many provisions in the Central RERA Act such as revoking RERA registration and issue direction for forensic audit on expired RERA registrations, the body has not taken any action against the 943 expired projects (as per KRERA website), said Suresh N.R., Director, Namma Bengaluru Foundation.
He added that there are about 2,372 cases pending in K-RERA and consumers are deprived of their properties due to poor RERA enforcement.
Among the protestors gathered at Town Hall, many were those who had bought homes at Mantri Webcity. They had initially formed Fight for RERA due to delay in completion of project by Mantri Builders.
“The builders have not completed the project and also refuse to pay any sort of compensation for the delay” said Sai Pramod, a homebuyer who has been waiting for possession of his house for over two years.
The homebuyers allege that the builders indulge in filing of false police complaints, initiation of defamation cases and threaten the buyers for approaching RERA authorities.
Though RERA authorities are aware of such incidents, but they have taken no action against such builders.
“This is our third protest against the Mantri Builders, we have reached out to some politicians for help, but have not received any response,” Pramod said.
Homebuyers point out that K-RERA is short-staffed and lacks qualified professionals.
“Our protest is about consumer rights and builders’ accountability. We want to ensure that justice is done to thousands of home buyers across Karnataka,” Suresh said.
