Noida-like tragedy can happen anytime in Ggn

Gurugram: The deadly mishap in Greater Noida's Shahberi causing in the two towers being collapsed can also occur in Gurugram. With illegal colonies already a problem in the city owing to the deep nexus between public officials and builders, developers still look to cut corners to earn more profit. A major factor of saving costs is to use the poor quality of construction material.

The issue of using sub-standard construction material being used is reported not only from small builders but even the big developers. The recent rains in Gurugram again exposed poor quality of construction material being used by builders. Most of the pictures were also shown on social media reflecting that how the buyers are being fleeced by the developers.

To profit from the burgeoning real estate market of Gurugram, most of the individual builders are also trying to cash in. In areas of Sushant Lok and DLF Phase -3 where there has been a growth of a lot of illegal guest houses, there have been complaints that how in the area of 60-square yards four to five floors are constructed. Even though notices by the Department of Town and Planning (DTP) have been sent to these landowners in the past, no concrete action has been taken against them. Of late public agencies cracked on, demolishing certain properties. While most of the villages have come under the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram, many landowners in the villages are having a building of more than seven floors claiming that it is still a Lal Dora land.

A large number of illegal colonies and structures coming in and around Gurugram continue to be a major problem. Sources indicate that there are around 50 such illegal colonies that are coming in and around Gurugram. Sohna, Farrukhnagar, Pataudi are the main areas where the land mafia is most active in creating the colonies.

As the rates of these plots are much lower than the market rates prevailing in Gurugram, these plots also get enough buyers. A normal rate of the residential plot in Gurugram ranges from Rs 50,000 a square yard and beyond while these illegal plots are sold at Rs 16,000 square yards. While there are enough illegal colonies in the City Centre, there is a great increase in these townships on the outskirts of the city where the levels of scrutiny are lower.

Despite the growth in the illegal colonies in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is not able to meet its target of collecting adequate property taxes. Highlighting a loss in public exchequer, officials of the Gurugram civic body are mulling to regularise these colonies provided they pay the taxes.