We don’t have expertise to take over Amrapali housing projects: Noida authorities to SC

NEW DELHI: Two days after Supreme Court said that it will throw Amrapali out of all housing projects and hand it over to Noida and Greater Noida authorities to complete the projects, the authorities on Friday said that there were not willing to take up the task because they do not have expertise in constructing buildings.

When a bench of Justices Arun Mishra and U U Lalit asked the Noida authorities whether they would be able to complete the task, they admitted that it would not be possible for them to take over the housing projects and complete the construction.

“We are not technically competent and we do not have expertise to do the task. Let there be some reputed developer to complete the project and a monitoring committee should be appointed by court to keep an watch over it,” lawyer appearing for Noida authority told the bench. Greater Noida authority also took the same stand.

“So you are yourself afraid of what you will do with the property,” the bench said. It said that it will pass order on handing over the projects to other companies and would consider the option of government-owned NBCC, HUDCO or reputed private companies like Larsen And Turbo.

The court had already said that Amrapali group would have no stake in its housing projects and had made it clear that homebuyers and not banks will have the first right over the properties of the group which are being auctioned on the direction of the apex court which means that money raised would be used for construction of projects.
The court directed the authorities to issue occupation certificate in those projects in which homebuyers had taken possession of their flats to enable them to live there and assured them they will be getting their money due on Amrapali group. At the outset of proceedings, advocate M L Lahoty, appearing for homebuyers, pleaded the court to appoint a monitoring committee which would supervise the construction of housing projects and would report back to court on the progress in construction.

NBCC had earlier agreed to take over Amrapali projects and assured the court to complete the construction within three years. But it had put a condition that it would not invest its money and raised a demand Rs 8,500 cr. It also said that it charge Rs 850 cr as consultancy fee.

Contending that the fee demanded by NBCC was too high which is 10 percent of the construction cost, the Noida authorities informed the court that there are other reputed builder which can complete the work on charge of 6-8 percent of construction cost.

Source : The Tomes of India