NOIDA: A fire erupted on the 21st floor of Tower 4 at Aranya Society in Sector 119 on Monday, highlighting the risks faced by numerous homebuyers residing in incomplete, insolvency-afflicted housing projects throughout Noida. This incident has reignited calls for mandatory fire safety audits and greater accountability regarding stalled developments.
Aranya is among over 60 such projects in Noida where residents were compelled to occupy units before completion—not out of choice, but due to financial constraints that prevent them from paying both rent and home loan EMIs.
The society, comprising nearly 2,500 units, has been under Corporate Insolvency Resolution Proceedings (CIRP) since 2019. Only about 1,500 units are currently occupied, and the project is still lacking an occupancy certificate and a resident-elected apartment owners association (AOA).
“Our builder abandoned the project several years ago. For over seven years, the interim resolution professional has not completed the firefighting system or obtained an OC. The stalled state of the project has resulted in essential civic and emergency infrastructure being fundamentally inadequate or non-existent,” stated resident Sumit Sharma.
Akhil Tiwari, a resident of Tower 4, mentioned that while the builder was present when he took possession in 2023, they went bankrupt midway through the project. “We never expected to be stuck without basic amenities—no parking, inadequate fire systems, incomplete lifts, no AOA, and waterlogged basements during monsoon. We are living here because we must pay EMIs and can’t afford rent on top of that,” he revealed.
Residents invest their life savings in homes but face several years of legal delays, unresolved authority dues, and insolvency proceedings. Many occupy units as soon as individual towers are completed, even while the larger project remains unfinished.
According to Abhishek Kumar, president of New Era Flatowners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), which includes 54 highrises, approximately 60–70 highrise projects in Greater Noida West alone have residents living in them while construction or essential common infrastructure remains incomplete. In many cases, only select towers have received occupancy approvals.
The lack of a functional AOA exacerbates every issue. “Despite paying maintenance fees every month, there is no elected body to represent us or ensure accountability. Basic issues linger unresolved for extended periods,” lamented resident Sanjay Jha from Amrapali Leisure Park.
The repercussions go beyond safety concerns. Sanjeev Saxena of Supertech Eco Village 2 stated that without property registration, he cannot mortgage his flat or obtain educational loans for his children. “I am paying for my home, yet on paper, I don’t feel like the rightful owner. After investing our life savings, we cannot access our asset when we need it most,” he emphasized.
Ashutosh Sharma of Capital Athena expressed disappointment that even support from the Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund has yielded little visible progress in his society. “Large sections of the project remain incomplete, pending registrations deprive buyers of legal ownership, and residents are left without representation or accountability,” he said.
Leaders from resident federations are now urging authorities for immediate action. Puneet Sharma, president of the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Associations (NOFAA), remarked that while projects supervised by NCLT have been allowed occupancy under pressure, nearly all such societies lack essential amenities or face significant service gaps compared to fully operational developments.
“All conditional OCs and completion certificates must mandate Fire NOC. This pertains to life and death,” he asserted.
Nikhil Singhal, president of Noida HighRise Federation 100x Sectors, appealed to Noida Authority, the fire department, and all relevant agencies to promptly carry out detailed fire safety audits of all incomplete and insolvency-stricken societies.
“The safety and lives of residents must take priority over administrative and legal delays. No family should have to inhabit an unsafe environment simply because their dream home is entangled in insolvency,” he stated.
