86% of Noida residents say common areas in societies, colonies encroached upon: Survey
India Today
86 per cent of Noida residents have said there is encroachment of common areas in their colonies or societies, according to a survey conducted by LocalCircles .
Eighty-six per cent of Noida residents have said there is encroachment of common areas in their colonies or societies, according to a survey. The survey conducted by LocalCircles comes in the wake of a major controversy involving politician Shrikant Tyagi, who assaulted and abused a woman resident of his society after she objected to encroachment of common space by him.
Illegal extensions and additions to houses and apartments or encroachment of public spaces are not just restricted to slums, lower-income colonies or semi-urban areas but are a reality even in upper-middle class and affluent neighbourhoods and societies, the survey stated. It received over 2,000 responses from city residents, with 61 per cent of them being men and 39 per cent women.
The survey stated that 86 per cent of the Noida residents said there is encroachment of common areas in their societies. "In some societies and colonies, such transgression was limited to just a few flats or homeowners, according to 14 per cent of the respondents. Another 14 per cent denied such illegal action by residents in their society or colony," it added.
According to the findings, the residents also highlighted the need for monthly disclosure by residents' welfare associations (RWAs) and apartment owners associations (AOAs) to the Noida authority, disclosing details of encroachment as a solution to the issue. LocalCircles said people believe that if AOA and RWA signatories have to sign such a disclosure, they will thoroughly check their societies and colonies for encroachment.
"However, some citizens felt that there is lack of intent to address (the issue of) encroachments both by the authority, RWAs and AOAs because many of the officer-bearers are also guilty," it claimed.
LocalCircles founder Sachin Taparia said the latest episode involving Tyagi presents an opportunity for the Noida authority to drive "systemic change" by issuing disclosure guidelines for AOAs and RWAs and addressing the issue of encroachment. "If the model works in Noida, it could work in other cities of Uttar Pradesh too," Taparia said.
