NOIDA: Over 15 years after the initiation of the Sports City projects, residential towers have emerged across sectors 78, 79, 150, and 152. However, the promised stadiums, tracks, and sports fields remain largely unrealized. The primary issue is a massive financial discrepancy—the developers owe Noida Authority a staggering Rs 11,642 crore, yet only Rs 319 crore has been recovered to date, despite numerous court orders and high-profile investigations.
The Sports City initiative was launched during the Commonwealth Games in 2010, aiming to create integrated townships that combined world-class sports facilities with residential and commercial areas.
Developers were given large portions of land. For example, Xanadu Estate received 7.3 lakh sqm in sectors 78, 79, and 101 in May 2011, which was later divided into 23 plots. Logix Infra Developers was allotted 8 lakh sqm in Sector 150 in March 2011, divided into 27 sub-plots. Lotus Greens Constructions secured 13.3 lakh sqm in Sector 150 in July 2014, with 21 subdivisions, although 1.1 lakh sqm was recently revoked due to unpaid dues. ATS Homes was granted 5 lakh sqm in Sector 152 in July 2015, separated into 10 sub-plots.
These plots were quickly leased to private developers, who prioritized constructing residential towers while overlooking the essential sports infrastructure.
According to data from Noida Authority, Logix Infra Developers currently owes Rs 4,082 crore, Lotus Greens Constructions Rs 4,178 crore, Xanadu Estate Rs 636 crore, and ATS Homes Rs 2,746 crore.
Among the sub-lessees, only a few have made partial payments: Contend Builders (Rs 140 crore), Brick Rise Developers (Rs 87 crore), Ace Infracity Developers (Rs 12 crore), and Star Land Kraft (Rs 8 crore).
The growing dues and lack of progress drew scrutiny. In 2019, a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) audit identified significant irregularities—land was underpriced, projects meant for sports facilities were repurposed for residential use, and unauthorized sub-leasing undermined the scheme’s core objectives.
The developers’ inability to meet their commitments led to investigations and legal actions.
In February of this year, the Allahabad High Court directed the CBI and ED to investigate alleged collusion between authority officials and developers. The court also instructed the Authority to issue recovery notices to the defaulting parties. Since then, FIRs have been filed against Xanadu Estate, Logix Infra Developers, and Lotus Greens Constructions. The Authority has sent demand notices to 62 of the 81 sub-lessees, but recovery efforts have progressed slowly.
Legal complications have further muddied the waters. Many developers have sought relief in various courts and tribunals. Currently, nine petitions are pending before the National Company Law Tribunal and its appellate body, while 25 cases are before the high court. There are 26 special leave petitions in the Supreme Court, which has allowed proceedings to continue but limited the Authority from taking forceful actions against developers.
Recently, the Supreme Court permitted Brick Rise Developers—a member of the Sector 150 project consortium—to receive conditional occupancy certificates for six towers in Godrej Nest, acknowledging their payments but clarifying that this would not set a legal precedent.
Following the 2019 CAG findings, the Authority Board decided in January 2021 to suspend all new map revalidations, approvals, or occupancy certificates until the sports infrastructure is completed. A committee was formed to assess all Sports City projects, and further subdivision of plots has been prohibited.
The public accounts committee conducted 11 hearings between May 2023 and July 2025, ultimately advising the Authority to recover the costs of pending sports infrastructure from allottees of undeveloped plots and to issue occupancy certificates only after dues have been settled and sports facilities are underway. The committee also resolved all outstanding CAG objections, highlighting the need for accountability and urgency in completing the delayed sports infrastructure.
Despite these initiatives, the disparity between accrued dues and actual recoveries remains substantial.
Authority officials have reiterated their commitment to exploring all legal avenues for debt recovery and ensuring the construction of the promised sports facilities.
“The Authority is focused on recovering dues and implementing sports facilities within a specific timeline,” stated a senior official.
