Latest news with #ROFAlante
Indian Express
03-08-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Incomplete approach road to Gurgaon residential society: Builder promises solution within one week, residents not convinced
The standoff between the residents of Gurgaon's ROF Alante, the villagers, and the builder continues three weeks after protests first began on the issue of an incomplete 24-metre approach road. Even as ROF says the issue will be resolved from August 8 onwards, homeowners are not convinced. 'We are struggling here; there are so many problems that one would lose count. The approach road is the main problem, and apart from that, the other amenities. No water; how do we make food? Snakes and stray dogs wander about freely, making it difficult for those with emergency health scares,' said Himani Sharma, who moved into the society in Sector 108 three months ago. The society of 728 flats, located near Dwarka Expressway, was built under the Haryana Affordable Housing Policy. ROF had been offering possession of units to the owners since January. According to the record of land rights documents, and a letter issued by the concerned naib rehsildar dated June 4, the whole stretch of the approach road is a revenue road — recorded in official records as belonging to the Haryana government — since at least 2023-24. The very end of the 24-metre approach road was dug up the last week of July. On Saturday, the villagers allegedly installed tin sheets, forcing residents to use a makeshift hole in a room near the entrance. Alok Srivastava, head of facilities and possessions at ROF, told the Indian Express that they, too, want the issue to be resolved at the earliest, and efforts are on. 'I am concerned with their safety. I do not want enmity between the residents and the villagers. Regarding amenities and utilities, we have categorically and consistently shown the documents of necessary work orders being processed and in place to residents,' said Srivastava. Asked why the issue persists when it was supposed to be resolved at least a fortnight ago, he said the villagers who have been claiming that the land around the property is theirs have relented. 'They would dig up the roads earlier; they have since conveyed that they need time to get their maps and property documents in order before the handover is formally complete,' said Srivastava. The revenue road, which consists of the approach, will be demarcated by civic authorities starting Friday. 'The demarcation should be done that day, and then we will fill the dug up end of the approach road immediately. The first car that enters will be ours, let me assure. Regarding utilities, the process is only stuck at the final stage due to the road, and the pay orders for installation and permanent connection have already been received and are in place. We have delivered all internal works as promised, hence people shifted in the first place. Post Friday, within no time, a blacktop road will be fully in place,' said Srivastava The villagers have come on board now, but their conduct was not in the builders' hands earlier, he asserted. 'We have to protect the residents from the heat and the brunt of the villagers with whom they have to live; they should not suffer later.' The assurances notwithstanding, the residents carried out a brief march in the society near the contentious approach road, carrying banners demanding the promised approach road, an end to alleged 'hooliganism' by the builder, and functional utilities. A woman resident named Rama, who has been living here for six months, said she was forced to send her ageing mother-in-law back home because of the lack of facilities and the fear of needing emergency hospitalisation. RK Sharma, 67 and a resident for 6 months, seconded the point about possible medical emergencies. 'It is such a big project in Haryana and we do understand how the road could have been incomplete. We want it fixed so we can live here peacefully.' Babita, a homeowner from Gurgaon who has not moved in yet, explains her decision. 'I purchased the flat hoping to escape paying rent, which most people wish. But I just cannot move in here. In monsoons, water also gets deposited on the approach road.' 'The builder has been lying. Where is the work on the ground? These things should have been sorted before possession was offered. They are only playing the escape card. Now if the road does get built, it is (in a way) a credit to the media,' said resident Shivani Thusoo. A bunch of three young boys were heard saying, 'Yahan toh theek se cycle karne ki bhi jagah nahi hain [There isn't even a space to properly cycle here (because of the road)].'
Indian Express
10-07-2025
- General
- Indian Express
No approach road to enter Gurgaon residential society, home to 60 families
Tempers flared on Sunday afternoon as around a dozen residents of ROF Alante in Gurgaon's Sector 108, located near the Dwarka Expressway, reached the developer's office. The reason behind the gathering — the lack of an approach road leading to the main entrance of their society. The residents of ROF Alante, built under the Haryana Affordable Housing Policy, blamed the builder for the situation. 'How were the Occupancy Certificate (OC) and licences issued when the road was still incomplete? They (builder) should have sorted it out before handing us possession of the flats. Now, we are suffering…,' homeowner Shivani Thusoo told The Indian Express. The builder had since January started offering possession of units to the owners. Builder ROF (Ramada Group), however, claimed the project has received the OC following due process and put the onus on the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to get the road fixed. According to jamabandi (record of land rights) documents, and a letter issued by the concerned Naib Tehsildar dated June 4, the full stretch of the approach road is a revenue road — recorded in official records as belonging to the Haryana government — since at least 2023-24. The MCG had granted a housing licence to the ROF with an understanding that the approach road would be taken over and maintained by the builder once the civic body had done the necessary demarcations. These demarcations, not yet complete, pertain to the road being marked with pillars and signboards separating it from the surrounding land owned by villagers, said ROF. A visit to the site by The Indian Express revealed the problem. The very end of the 24m approach road is dug up. Also, with the society located around 10 feet above the ground level, no vehicle can enter what was supposed to be the society's main entrance due to the dug-up area. With around 60 of the 728 flats in the society already occupied, the builder has now made a temporary kuccha road at the rear gate of the complex for vehicles to enter. According to ROF, people from nearby villages, who have given up land for the project, are damaging the road in the hope of receiving more compensation. Maintaining that MCG and not ROF owns the approach road, Alok Srivastava, Head of Facilities and Possessions at ROF, said, 'A few miscreants, who also happen to be landowners, have illegally dug up the road that provides access to the society.' 'Their aim is to block the entry and exit to the society in an attempt to blackmail us with their demands for more compensation. Our staff had been threatened with violence if they tried to restore the damaged road… We have filed complaints with the police, including the DCP (West), and will take legal action,' he added. 'We have already completed all internal infrastructure works, based on which the OC was granted. All essential services within the society are in place. Remaining work related to external infrastructure development is yet to be completed due to illegal digging of the road,' Srivastava said. He added that the company is working with the local police and the MCG to restore the road soon. A resident of ROF Alante said that a local from the nearby Dharampur village was damaging the road. 'The villager, with the help of his contacts, manages to dig up the road within minutes of it being fixed. The government and the civic body are not being able to do anything about it. The unfinished road is impacting other facilities here, like shops…,' the resident said. The resident claimed that last Tuesday, the homeowners had met civic officials. 'They said they will appoint a duty magistrate and get the road constructed. They will also speak with the affected villagers within 10 days when we met them last Tuesday.' A MCG official said an internal meeting was held at the civic body in this regard on Tuesday as well. Thusoo, who had bought a flat at the society for Rs 30 lakh, said the society does not have permanent electricity and water connections. 'As there is no approach road, school buses cannot enter the society. How will students study once more families move in? Also, they are charging exorbitant maintenance amounts despite it being an affordable housing project.' When asked, an official managing Alante's day-to-day affairs said that electricity and water is being provided 24×7 through DG sets and tankers, respectively. 'Only money amounting to operational expenses is being collected as a charge on a cost basis. Moreover, at least three school buses come to the back gate,' the official added.
