Hyderabad: Lodha's trickery ends up in fight over wall

Hyderabad: A notice issued by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to demolish the compound wall that separates two properties built by the Lodha Group at Kukatpally, has ended up in court, with 550 families residing in one of the buildings, the posh Bellezza, vowing to teach the builder a lesson for cheating them.

On Thursday, the High Court set aside the notice and directed the GHMC to give a week’s time for the residents associations to respond and hear their grievances.

In 2009, the Mumbai based builders, the Lodha Group, built luxury homes on a 12-acre plot, promising 80 per cent open space and 20 per cent constructed area around. However, later, Lodha built another venture called Meridian, of two-bedroom, low end housing on the same plot, with a compound wall separating the two buildings. 

The residents’ association of Lodha Meridian, however, has complained that they have been dep-rived of certain amenities, so the GHMC issued a notice pointing out that Lodha had taken permission for a single plot of land and so the compou-nd wall had to be demolished within seven days.

The secretary of Lodha Bellezza Flat Association explained: “The Lodha Group made changes to the layout of Lodha Bellezza and Meridian projects and dramatically increased the number of flats in Meridian towers. The apartment owners of Lodha Bellezza got alarmed by these deviations. After several pleas to our political leaders and GHMC, the builder agreed to come down from Mumbai and take the grievances of Bellezza buyers seriously. A compromise was reached. The owners of Lodha Bellezza agreed to a reduction in the size of Lodha Bellezza. The builder agreed to create a clear separation between Lodha Bellezza and Lodha Meridian by putting a boundary wall between the two properties.”

Anamika Lalwani, a resident of Belleza, added, “This separation was clearly mentioned in plans approved by the GHMC in August 2015. The sale deeds of Lodha Meridian also clearly state that there will be a boundary between the two properties and neither party has rights over the other side. Now, suddenly, after two years, the GHMC is issuing a notice saying that the boundary is illegal and they will demolish it.”

The GHMC notice issued stated: “The Lodha builders has unauthorisedly constructed a compound wall in survey number 1009 /P = KPHB, contrary to the provision of HMC act and by laws. This office had issued permission as a single unit. Therefore the MD of Lodha is directed to remove the compound wall within 7 days if not action will be taken as per Section 636 /section 596 /section 461 (4) of HMC Act.”

A meeting has been called between GHMC Commissioner and the Residents' Welfare Association of Meridian and Bellezza on Friday. 

GHMC orders wall to be demolished 
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has asked Lodha Healthy Constr-uctions and Developers, a Mumbai based real estate company owned by BJP MLA Mangal Lodha, to demolish a compound wall in its property at Kukatpally.

The company entered the Hyderabad market with Lodha Bellezza, a premium gated property, spread across 12 acres of land.

The company was planning to construct eight twin-towers, each with 32 floors. The size of the flat was 4,760 square feet, inclusive of the common area.   The builder has promised 20 per cent built-up area and 80 per cent open space.

Out of 12 acres, Lodha Bellezza is reported to have occupied only seven and a half acres land. The company is alleged to have earmarked the surplus land for another venture, Lodha Meridian, with three towers comprising 1,100 flats.

Following this, the owners of Lodha Bellezza complained to the GHMC in 2013, stating that the company had secured permission from GHMC for a single venture.

Subsequently, the corporation issued a notice, asking the company to stop construction of Lodha Meridian.  

Later, the company managed to reach a settlement with owners, saying that Bellezza and Meridian will be treated as separate ventures and a compound wall be erected to separate them.

The group then managed to get the stay vacated and went ahead with the construction of Lodha Meridian.

However, following a complaint by owners of Lodha Meridian, the GHMC has issued a notice to the company to demolish the compound wall as the builder had taken permission for a single unit.