The Gurugram district administration has launched a major recovery drive against 71 real estate developers who have failed to pay nearly ₹446 crore in penalties and other dues arising from orders passed under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA).
As part of the action, the administration plans to freeze the bank accounts of the defaulting developers and attach their properties to recover the outstanding amount. Officials said criminal proceedings could also be initiated against builders who fail to clear their dues, with the possibility of arrest in cases where recovery remains unsuccessful.
The administration is also expected to coordinate with the revenue and other concerned departments during the recovery process to ensure that attachment and recovery proceedings are carried out without delay.
Officials said the exercise would be closely monitored, particularly in cases involving substantial outstanding amounts, so that recovery certificates pending for years can be acted upon and affected homebuyers receive the relief ordered by RERA.
The move follows a prolonged pendency of RERA recovery certificates with the district administration. According to officials, several certificates have remained pending for more than four years, leaving homebuyers waiting for compensation, refunds or interest ordered by the regulator.
Among the major defaulters are companies belonging to some of the prominent real estate groups operating in the National Capital Region. Ansal Housing Ltd and Ansal Construction Housing Ltd together account for around ₹91 crore in outstanding dues, while Raheja owes about ₹90 crore. Vatika has dues of nearly ₹80 crore, Parsvnath around ₹74 crore and the Ramprastha group approximately ₹57 crore. IREO owes about ₹24 crore, while ILD Millennium has outstanding dues of around ₹8.59 crore, among others, according to the administration’s recovery data.
Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh said the administration had decided to accelerate the recovery process so that orders passed in favour of affected homebuyers do not remain on paper.
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“RERA does its job by penalising the builder, but pending recoveries make the entire process toothless, and the homebuyer keeps suffering,” Singh said, according to officials. He added that the administration would first seek recovery from frozen bank accounts and attached properties.
Under the recovery mechanism, when a promoter fails to comply with a RERA order relating to penalty, interest or compensation, the regulator issues a recovery certificate and forwards it to the district administration. The amount is then recovered as arrears of land revenue.
Officials said the exercise would be undertaken in phases, beginning with the larger defaulters. The administration will also examine the available assets and bank accounts of the companies concerned to facilitate recovery.
Gurugram administration’s move aimed at enforcing recovery orders
The action assumes significance in Gurugram, where delayed housing projects and disputes over possession, refunds and compensation have affected a large number of homebuyers.
The administration’s move is aimed at enforcing recovery orders and ensuring that amounts awarded to affected buyers are not indefinitely held up at the enforcement stage.
