NOIDA: Ten days after the Union Bank of India issued eviction notices to nearly 200 families residing in a housing society in Noida, the bank on Wednesday took a U-turn by withdrawing the notices.
According to the CEO of Union Bank Rajkiran Rai G, the notices were sent to take action against the builder of Gardenia Gateway for defaulting on a loan amount of Rs 78.45 crore.
The housing developer, Gardenia India Ltd had taken the loan on December 31, 2015, and failed to make the repayment.
As per the notices served to the residents, the project had been mortgaged by the developer for the loan. The notices were issued under SARFAESI (Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest) Act 2002, which allows banks to auction residential or commercial properties (of defaulter) to recover loans, said the bank officials.
“We have sent out letters to the homebuyers, withdrawing the eviction notice with immediate effect. Homebuyers need not worry. We will recover the amount from the builder whom we are in talks with,” a bank official said.
However, residents who had received eviction notices from the PSU bank said that both the bank and the developer should “apologise for the harassment caused to them” besides withdrawing the notices.
“We have already complained under RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act) and are planning to also approach Debt Recovery
Tribunal and Allahabad High Court,” said B S Lavania president of Resident Welfare Association of Gardenia Gateway.
“This housing project is yet to obtain an occupancy certificate from Noida Authority as the builder has dues amounting to about Rs 50 crore to the Authority. Without the occupancy certificate the builder cannot offer possession to buyers and therefore we cannot even register our properties,” he added.
Another resident of the society said that they have already paid the full cost of their flats to the builder. “The builder has dues with the bank. Why are we being harassed,” he asked.
Meanwhile, officials of the real estate firm Gardenia India Ltd have also assured homebuyers that they would not be evicted and were in the process of settling matters with the bank at the earliest.
‘harassment’
Residents of Gardenia Gateway are planning to approach Debt Recovery Tribunal and Allahabad High Court to the address “harassment” by the bank.