Even as residents of Golf View Condos, a luxury housing society in Dwarka’s Sector 19B, reported multiple construction-related issues to the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in the past, a recent report by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has stated that the society is structurally safe and “constructed as per tender specifications”. The report, which the developer has submitted to the RERA, also claims that the residents are responsible for the issues raised by them.
DDA’s first venture into luxury housing, the Gold View Condos boasts of 11 towers housing 1,130 luxury flats — 14 penthouses, 170 Super High-Income Group (HIG) flats and 946 HIG flats, overlooking DDA’s newly constructed 18-hole golf course. The developer earlier said that the highest bid during the auctions for HIG flats went up to Rs 3 crore, for Super-HIG flats up to Rs 4.5 crore and for penthouses up to Rs 5.76 crore.
The Indian Express previously reported that residents had complained of substandard construction, including rusted iron fittings and seepage. There was also an alleged delay in the allocation of the flats, they said. While the DDA had promised the completion by June 2024, the flats were delivered by October 2024, they claimed.
While hearing complaints of 11 such residents, Anand Kumar, Chairman and Ajay Kumar Kuhar, Member, RERA for the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, on August 20 directed DDA’s Vice Chairman to “ensure that the construction indeed has been carried out by the contractor as per the specifications given in the tender”. RERA had also pulled up DDA for the construction-related grievances, stating that it was “really concerned about the quality of work”. Even as DDA claimed that issues raised by the residents were resolved and photos and videos were submitted, the regulator said that it is “of the opinion that several issues still remain to be addressed as far as construction quality is concerned”.
In a report dated October 8, DDA stated that the masonry work, plastering and flooring as well as installation of doors, windows, fixtures, piping, wiring and fittings have all been carried out as per tender specifications.
The contractor of the project, Simplex Infrastructure Limited, “has been directed to address the rectification required at different locations as and where basis which are already minor in nature. Compliance will be ensured before final handover to the RWA,” DDA said.
Recurring water leakages, sewer blockages, lift breakdowns, and the dumping of construction debris have emerged as the most frequent complaints raised by residents. The DDA report blames the residents for these issues.
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The DDA said that the water supply line leakages were mainly caused by vibrations from interior renovation works carried out by allottees, which disturbed the joints of existing composite pipes. To ensure uninterrupted supply, the agency has begun replacing these pipes with CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) lines that it claims offer better joint strength and vibration resistance.
On sewer line blockages, the report said that frequent clogs were found in horizontal waste lines and vertical stacks, not due to design or material defects, but instead caused by improper disposal of construction waste into drains and toilets. The DDA said it has deployed plumbers for immediate rectification and enforced penalties for violations. Regarding lift operation issues, the developer claimed that breakdowns and door malfunctions were not due to design defects but resulted from overloading and spillage of debris during renovation.
Allottees often transported dismantled tiles and sand through passenger lifts, exceeding weight limits and damaging sensors, the report said.
The DDA has now restricted the use of lifts for construction materials and appointed a dedicated maintenance agency for quick repairs.
Of the 1,130 flats, possession has been offered by the DDA for 1,074 flats so far and 1003 flats have been handed over to allottees. Around 400 families are currently living in the complex.
