In 2004, the Noida Authority unveiled its grand plan—‘Sports City’, a 798-acre urban dream comprising Olympic-standard infrastructure, golf courses, stadiums, and modern residential living. By 2011, land was allotted to three developers at subsidized rates, with promises that only 30% would be used for residential purposes and the rest reserved for sports infrastructure.
But instead of building world-class facilities, developers sub-leased land to other builders, circumventing rules without paying transfer fees. Sectors 78, 79, and 150—meant to be Noida’s pride—now stand incomplete, and sports infrastructure remains nonexistent.
CAG Report, FIRs, and a ₹9,000 Crore Hole
A 2017 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report slammed the Noida Authority for gross irregularities. It revealed how developers with poor financial records won bids after the Authority watered down eligibility norms. Land meant for sports was illegally transferred and sold off, with six companies that received land not even existing at the time of allotment.
In 2024, the CBI registered FIRs against Noida Authority officials and developers for criminal conspiracy, forgery, and breach of trust. The Allahabad High Court, too, in a scathing judgment, called the situation “a dirty builder-authority nexus” and ordered a CBI and ED probe. Insolvency pleas by developers, the court noted, were staged to escape accountability.
Homebuyers Trapped in Legal Limbo
More than 32,000 buyers, many living in apartments for over a decade, cannot register their homes or form Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs). Flats bought for their premium sports location now overlook barren plots. Residents like Sandeep Sood and Pankaj Upadhyay feel betrayed—lured by false promises, now stuck in bureaucratic quicksand.
“They let us buy flats on sub-leased land and now refuse to recognize our ownership,” said one resident. Others complain of crumbling infrastructure, unresponsive builders, and a system that has abandoned them.
Despite paying full dues, buyers are barred from selling properties or transferring ownership without incurring hefty fees from builders. Some, hoping for sports training facilities for their children, have watched those dreams wither.
Noida Authority’s Inaction and Court Battles
Following the CAG report, the Noida Authority halted Sports City work in 2021. But despite forming a committee and receiving directives from the Uttar Pradesh government and Public Accounts Committee, no revival efforts have taken shape.
The Authority now argues it holds no obligation toward homebuyers as there’s “no contractual relationship.” Buyers are left out of the official narrative, even as buildings decay and legal options shrink.
The 2023 Amitabh Kant Committee recommended delinking house registration from developer dues, but those suggestions remain unimplemented. Meanwhile, court-mandated probes continue, and homebuyers remain voiceless victims of a grand urban betrayal.