Noida Authority Require UP Govt to Review Relief Granted To ET Infra Developers

                Noida: Noida Authority will urge UP govt to 
reconsider a decision to grant a financial relief 
of Rs 63 crore to ET Infra Developers Pvt Ltd, 
the builders of World Trade Tower in Sector 
16. The relief was granted to compensate for 
delays caused by a National Green Tribunal 
(NGT) ban on constructions within 10km of 
Okhla Bird Sanctuary between 2013 and 2015.
Authority officials pointed out that the 
developer had completed the towers before 
the NGT orders were imposed, but failed to 
secure an occupancy certificate because of 
lack of 
documents.
 
This, they argued, makes the company 
ineligible for the waiver as the NGT ban had no 
effect on the project. It was in March 2010 that 
Electrotherm Infra Developers (Consortium) 
was 
allotted commercial land in Sector 16 for the 
World Trade Tower project. The company was 
supposed to finish the project in three years 
and apply for an occupancy certificate by Aug 
2, 2013.
The builder, which had already deposited Rs 48 
crore, applied for the certificate on June 5, 
2013, but failed to submit proper documents. 
On July 9 that year, the Authority's Building 
Cell rejected the application, citing Building 
Regulations, 2010.
The NGT ban was imposed only on Aug 14, 
2013 within 10km of the bird sanctuary. NGT 
tightened the restrictions in Oct 2013, asking 
the Authority to stop issuing OCs to projects 
without environmental clearance.
The developer requested the Authority to 
extend its payment instalments by two years 
and waive interest from Sept 2013 onwards, in 
keeping with NGT's orders. The plea was 
rejected.
ET Infra made further appeals, requesting "zero 
period" waivers for a period starting July 9, 
2013. The developer argued that despite 
completing the tower much before the ban, 
they 
failed to get the OC because of NGT's orders.
The Authority, eventually, allowed partial relief 
between Aug 14 and Oct 28, 2013.

In Aug 2015, the ban was lifted, with the Centre 
reducing the eco-sensitive zone around the 
sanctuary to 100 metres.
But the developer approached Allahabad high 
court, seeking full waiver for a two-year period 
from Aug 2013. In 2017, the HC asked the 
Authority to address the company's grievances 
in four weeks. The Authority, however, granted 
a limited zero-period benefit and only waived 
penal interest from Oct 29, 2013 to Aug 19, 
2015.
On Aug 24, 2023, the developer sought a 
review of the waiver under the Uttar Pradesh 
Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. 
The state govt reviewed the case and allowed 
a 
full waiver of interest and lease rent, 
amounting to Rs 63 crore, for the period 
between Aug 2013 and Aug 2015.
The Authority, however, contested the decision. 
During its previous board meeting, officials 
argued that the delay in getting the OC had 
nothing to do with the ban but was because of 
the developer's own faults. They also pointed 
out that ET Infra had already received partial 
waivers for the affected period and had 
cleared all outstanding dues by Nov 2022.
"This additional relief would set an unfair 
precedent and impose a significant financial 
burden on us," an official said.

Source : The Times of India