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Citizens' initiative to create awareness of Real Estate Act

rera forum

In a country where almost every hardworking citizen nurtures a 1000-square-foot dream, only to be quashed into a nightmare by unscrupulous real estate promoters and developers, the Real Estate Regulation Act (RERA) comes as a ray of hope.

 

Justice and compensation for the violation of real-estate promises are painfully slow and circuitous in India. Therefore, in a unique initiative to help citizens of Bengaluru understand and be aware of their rights, Namma Hakku –Citizens’ Rights Series was launched where the customers and builders were educated about the RERA.
 

The workshop’s primary focus was to help real estate consumers understand how the new Act will help with their rights against law-breaking/fraudulent developers.
 

MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who has relentlessly fought erring developers and encroachers, along with a team of legal experts and citizen activists offered valuable insights on RERA; clarified home buyers’ concerns against corrupt and inefficient builders; provided details of the obligations of developers and urged citizens to come forward to claim their rights under this iconic pro-consumer legislation.

rera forum

"Under chapter 2,3,4,8 of this Act, consumer rights, builders’ obligation and penalty on builders for violations, speedy disposal of disputes, details on the project to be made available online, have been enshrined. There will not be any question of approval for the sale of flats until it gets clearance under RERA.

 

“Another landmark feature of this act is, 70% of the money collected from consumers should be locked for the project and to be deposited in an escrow account," said Chandrasekhar. He also clarified that the Act, in addition to being consumer-friendly, would also help bona fide promoters in the long run. 


Sajan Poovayya, senior advocate, lauded the efforts of the team which batted for the RERA Bill and said, "It is up to the state government to decide to form a regulating authority and its board. The committee has to be formed by the government for which the Chief Justice of the state high court will be the chairman of the selection committee. The government should select an eminent person with good credentials and experience.” 


The members of the expert panel, Justice AV Chandrashekhara, former judge of the High Court of Karnataka, Sunil Dutt Yadav, advocate, environmental issues and RWAs, Professor Rajagopalan, citizen activist also weighed in during the discussion.

 

The massive response and the personal stories of trauma and sufferance at the hands of real-estate sharks that came forth during the open house discussion made one feel that this initiative was timely and worthwhile.

 

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