It’s been nearly 10 months that the Confident Group has stopped work on their incomplete project, Antlia 1, beside NH 207 that leads to Sarjapur, Bengaluru. This project was supposed to have been completed, including all the 60 amenities, by 2010.
The builder wanted to withdraw from the maintenance of this complex in October last year and convinced some owners; representatives to take over in a ‘financial handover’. Financial handover, according to them was, the owners manage the complex on their own and the builder would refer maintenance personnel on a need basis. These owners’ representatives then called for a meeting to ask other owners to agree and increase the maintenance charges.
A few other owners then intervened and wrote to Roy CJ, the CMD of the Confident Group, stressing the unprofessionalism and unethical withdrawal of the Confident Group from Antlia 1 without completing the project and giving the due documents, including the occupancy certificate to all the owners. The CMD invited all the owners to meet and discuss the issues. However the meeting was organised on a weekday and out of 80 owners, only eight turned up for the meeting in Dec 2012.
The Confident Group’s sales pitch promised 60 amenities, that among other things included fish pond with angling, telescope nest, mini super market etc. In that meeting, the MD gave us an assurance that most of the issues pertaining to Antlia 1 in particular would be completed and rectified by March 2013 and other amenities in the clubhouse and the commercial complex would be completed by 2013 December. All the attendees signed this.
(The incomplete club-house. This was supposed to be completed by June, 2013.)
(Incomplete ramp at the entrance to a block.)
(The commercial spot. This was supposed to be completed by December, 2013. Photo courtesy Sumana Pal.)
Representatives who didn’t represent owners
We then had an election. This election was to choose representatives who would continue to negotiate with the Confident Group and monitor the progress of the rectification and completion of the project without getting sidelined. There was a conflict with a group of 10 owners, that compelled the other proactive owners who were instrumental in organising the meeting with the CMD of the Confident Group, to withdraw their nomination. This was the group that had managed getting a written assurance from the MD, and were monitoring every step to completion.
The new elected representatives of the adhoc committee took financial handover from the builder without intimating other owners. The very purpose of having this election was to ensure that the association gets registered under KAOA so that we continue to get the builder to deliver.
Today, it’s been eight months and this group has set up a bank account in the name of an unregistered association and insists that owners pay a maintenance that is rather high for a regular apartment sans amenities.
Today, amenities still remain a far off dream that once lured people like me to buy a home here. Not one shovel of dust has come up for the commercial construction, the fire safety remains a concern and the lifts are without Automatic Rescue Device (ARD).
And like in most housing complexes and elsewhere, people keep quiet to escape harassment.
Why I am writing this piece today is, primarily to draw your attention and urge you to be cautious when you buy your property or deal with developers. Many of us are wondering why those who have taken on responsibility as representatives, are not questioning the builder and demanding they fulfil their duties.
[Editors’ note, 04-10-2013: This blog post has been modified to adhere to our policies and clarify details.]
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Hey “Citizen Matters”, Do you publish any story by anyone without enquiring anything w.r.t the same? Please do a preliminary round of enquiry before publishing any story. As I’m part of that community, I can say that half of the story is true and half is the imaginations of the ‘writer’. Its not too late you can get opinions from the people staying over here rather than publishing a story from a single person!!!
Nothing wrong in being creative and imaginative but pulling rest of the world in those wild imaginations can be dangerous. As always the more you spice up the news the more its sold.
We live in a world where there are people who are in or supports a particular issue and there are people who oppose a issue and mostly they are the one’s who face the music.But what escapes my intelligence is, an adult who from her own point of view writes an article, am sure after facing these problems is being referred to as an “imaginative person.”
Confident Group had written and signed mainly 3 timelines (1) hand over on April 2013 and resolving all documented issue (2) Club House by June 2013 (3) Commercial by Dec 2013, only the first one has happened on time. Association registration under KAOA act (only legal base to operate an apartment and deal with the issues of an apartment) has not happened in last 7 months though clear opportunity was there. I didn’t get any update about the current status of registration process even after repeated requests. This is 100% true and rest is on your wisdom.
It is interesting to see how certain people writing negatively to such a well written piece to awaken fellow people. This article depicts how sad and corrupt our societies have become. While certain proactive citizens are trying to make builders accountable, there are other residents who are colluding with builders like Confident Group. I am sorry to see such views being reflected by certain men who should be doing something concrete than thrashing this reality. What kinds of teaching these peoole are giving to their children. I am so sorry for you! Do something ti change this. Do not crib!
Mr Shiv Nair, please reveal your identity first 🙂
It is despicable to see this crab like behavior from supposedly “educated” people, where they are pulling people like This writer down who is doing her part to educate, make aware and act right. Seriously, what kind of people are you? What values are you teaching your kids? You are responsible for breeding an younger generation who may think it is ok to bribe, get bribed, jump the line, shame people who speak for those haransed, andgenerally be a menace!!
Instead of joining the fight against corrupt practices, u r colluding with those who are responsible for giving our country a bad name.
Antony, i can upload my photo. Will that do? Or do you get so personal with every comment you read in social media or newspaper?
I am not sure how many of you are commenting being part of the antlia community. As part of the Antlia community I strongly disagree to the 2nd point written by Moumita ji that elected representatives who didnt represent the owners. If this is a place where everyone can point out their views I have given mine and thats what I feel that the second part is quite imaginative by the author. I don’t see any truth in this and 70% folks from Antlia community would agree to this. Authors cannot be 100% correct if thats what fellow writers here believe. Also I dont understand is why few of them without knowing full thing commenting on this anyways and trying to educate others and their kids. I think everyone should worry about their own area and if not happy should definitely right down their views but without affecting society at large. Others should mind their own business and help themselves than concluding what is wrong and what is right.
“Editors’ note, 04-10-2013: This blog post has been modified to adhere to our policies and clarify details.” ——— Good. Now the article has lesser imaginative factors than the previous one. But long way to go!.
I would still not agree with most of the points in the second point “Representatives who didn’t represent Owners”.
All the nominations and withdrawals from the nomination from election were voluntary. All the nominees had their own reasons to withdraw from the elections and I dont think any compulsion was made. If the said representatives who arranged meeting with CMD and were committed to take it forward any compulsion as mentioned shoudn’t have forced them to withdraw their nomination. If I remember it correctly it were these representatives including yourself agreed with confident to take handover by March 30th 2013. So there was no other option left with the elected representatives to take over handover from confident group. Atleast I am happy they took only financial handover from them. All of us know that apartment registration process is not that easy especially when we are going for KAOA registration which safeguards interest of every owner. I am also surprised to hear that when 80% owners are regularly paying maintenance to the said bank account why few owners are still hesitant to pay. Atleast we all know who tried their max to get the account closed as well. Good to see photographs posted, but why only a specific block in the apartment requires a ramp? How about other 2 blocks? While its ok to point out in an open forum the negativity of our apartment complex some courtesy should have been given to owners representatives and write down the good things they have done so far, and who are doing their best and committed to make things right and spending their time for the apartment apart from their personal and official commitment. While I agree to the fact that confident group has not kept to their promises and not delivered, but until the owners stand together to get this done no one is going to benefit. I have waited patiently for 4 yrs now and I trust things should shape up in due course while confident delivers the rest of the amenities along with the comp, etion of the Antlia enclave…
This post was edited to adhere to the style guide of this magazine and the IT Act. Having said this, the original piece is on the Web for you to read. If anybody wants more clarifications, please write to me and depending on your query, I shall respond.
The writer had submitted proofs on 6th November for the ed team and the legal counsel to validate.
The few people who were communicating with the Confident Group to get things working and ensured that many work were corrected and documented…( like you mentioned, you have been waiting for 4 years ..) withdrew their nominations and the reasons were cited very clearly in the mail that was circulated to All owners. Nastiness was one of the reason.
Please read the handover document that was circulated to get the big picture to understand how the representatives could have pushed.
Again, no one tried to close the bank account of this “unregistered association.” A mail was sent to the Corporation Bank chief to validate this bank account since no one wanted to fall prey to fraudulent practices. No bank allows an unregistered association to open a SB A/C in the name of an unregistered owners association.
Having said this, there are pertinent questions raised in this write up and also by Sumana Pal.
I shall soon publish my Antlia 1 diary online that will be have more detail.
At the end, decency and decorum are expected from socially responsible adults.
Pity you! #(cutting the branch you are sitting on)
For registering your apartment association the right way, please read:
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/4202-the-apartment-law-you-must-know
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