Mayfield Gardens licence row: Court dismisses builders’ plea

GURUGRAM: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday disposed of the petition of May field Gardens developers who had moved court two weeks ago seeking quashing of licence cancellation notice from the department the town and country planning (DTCP).

On January 24, the DTCP had sent a show-cause notice to the developers of Mayfield Gardens, asking them to explain why they allegedly failed to complete infrastructure inside the township — a mandatory condition of licence without which occupancy certificates (OCs) cannot be granted to the developer. The department also has the power to cancel licences on the basis of complaints.

The DTCP had granted time till March 17, 2020 to the developers to reply.

The developers, however, moved court against the notice. “It is needless to observe that the concerned authority would be required to look into all the issues raised by the licensees in this petition. It would be expected of the director, town and country planning, Haryana, to examine the issues afresh without being unduly swayed by the said orders passed earlier(sic),” stated the court order, disposing of the petition.

Mayfield Gardens is a plotted township spread over 327 acres at Sector 49/50, developed by a consortium of five builders in 2002-04.

However, residents of the township have been complaining of inadequate infrastructures inside the township, demanding that the department cancel the developers’ licence.

In 2012, the DTCP had cancelled the developers’ licence but it was renewed later on the basis of affidavits from the developers that infrastructure deficiencies will be completed. “The DTCP had renewed the licence in 2012 for two years, after which the department warned the developers to fulfil terms and condition of licence. However, the developers continued to ignore. The DTCP finally sent a fresh show-cause notice on January 24, 2020,” said DC Yadav, a resident of Mayfield Gardens.

Residents said builders have deserted the colony disowning all their responsibilities of delivery of essential and basic civic amenities.

“The court disposed of our petition but it asked the DTCP to look into issues properly as we raised our concerns about some shortcomings in the notice. So it is in our favour,” said Ajay Shoukeen, assistant general manager, Sheetal International, one of the developers in the consortium. “Infrastructure remains to be completed only in few acres of the 327-acre township, and we seek completion certificate for the completed portion from the department,” he said.

When asked, a senior DTCP official said that the show-cause notice has been sent as per rules since developers have some obligations remaining to be fulfilled.