Homebuyers in Gurugram say enhancement fee unjustified, protest Huda move

Residents of more than 50 group housing societies protested against the state government’s enhancement policy, alleging glaring faults in the calculation of additional price and consequent demand raised by Huda. As many as 150 residents gathered outside the tehsil office in Sector 56 on Sunday morning, claiming that around 5,500 flat owners had been affected by the Huda order. Residents of group housing societies in sectors 50, 54, 55 and 56, including women and senior citizens, participated in the protest against enhancement charges. Huda had acquired 631 acres land in Wazirabad and Ghata villages in 1998 from farmers to develop these sectors. The societies were built in 1999-2000. Now, these residents have been asked to pay the enhancement dues which have been calculated at Rs 100 crore in total. “We were allotted these homes in 1999-2000 at a fixed allotment rate of Rs 2,711 per square metre. Now, the government is demanding an unjustified additional amount of Rs 1,958 per square metre as enhancement dues. How is this justified?” asked Mahesh Dayma, president, the joint action committee. Protesters said around 5,500 flat owners have received notices from Huda, which asked them to pay the enhancement dues. The property owners then approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking relief. “The demand notices are common and no justification for the demand has been provided. The payment of dues is a dispute between the government and farmers. How are we part of it? Why should we pay what the government owes to farmers? We will continue with the legal battle till this matter is resolved,” said Dr ML Verma, a resident. Ravindra Narang, a member of the joint action committee, said, “The repeated meetings and follow-ups with Huda officials at the district as well as the state headquarters level, brought to the fore glaring anomalies in calculation of additional price and consequently the demand raised by Huda. If the government does not address their grievances soon, they will have no option but to boycott the ruling party in the forthcoming elections”.