Greater Noida: The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the Greater Noida authority to decide if it wants to legalise or demolish Supertech’s 1,060 illegal flats in the Czar housing project.

A group of residents had petitioned in the Allahabad high court that the realty company of building 1,904 units instead of the sanctioned 844 units at the Czar.

“We have directed the Greater Noida authority to look into the issue. The Greater Noida authority chief executive officer has to decide if the 1,060 flats are legal or illegal as per the city’s building bylaws. Since the flats were built without requisite approvals, I do not think such a large number of flats can be approved now. But it is up to the Greater Noida CEO to take a call,” said Alok Sinha, principal secretary, infrastructure and industrial development department, Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, the Greater Noida authority had submitted an affidavit in the Allahabad high court admitting that 1,060 flats are illegal because these are built without the requisite approvals. Following the high court’s orders, the Greater Noida authority, on April 27 this year, had sealed 1,060 illegal flats in Czar housing project located in sector Omicron-1.

After the sealing, Supertech pleaded before the high court for the state government to hear their plea, which was allowed by the court. Subsequently, UP government asked the principal secretary to hear Supertech’s plea.

Over the next week, Greater Noida authority CEO Debasish Panda is likely to decide the fate of these 1,060 flats.

“The CEO is expected to look into this case on Monday. CEO will look into the case and then decide whether these flats can be approved or not as per the building bylaws,” said Bal Krishan Tripathi, additional CEO of the Greater Noida authority.

On January 11, 2017, the Allahabad high court had stayed allotment of flats in Supertech’s Czar project after it took cognizance of a plea by home owners, including one VK Sharma. They submitted that the real estate major had built the residential units in violation of the sanctioned building plans.

“In 2016, the Greater Noida authority had ordered demolition of the illegal flats. It admitted in the court that 1,060 flats are illegal. Therefore, the authority cannot reverse its earlier order,” Sharma, a petitioner, said.

Supertech has denied charges leveled by the petitioner.

“We constructed more flats because we increased the population density in keeping with the law. All allegations by petitioners are untrue. The government has given directions to the authority to decide as per the building bylaws applicable,” said RK Arora, CMD of the Supertech Group.

Box: Background

The Greater Noida authority had allotted 20 acres to Supertech in 2006 in Sector Omicron-1. The realty firm has built group housing towers and named the project Czar. Some 450-odd families live in the society.

On January 11, 2017, the Allahabad high court stayed the allotment of illegally constructed flats in Supertech Czar Suites on plot number GH-2, Sector-Omicron-1 of Greater Noida. HC order came in response to a plea filed by nine residents, who demanded demolition of the illegally built flats.

Residents went to court because construction of additional flats will overburden the project’s supporting facilities.