Home buyers decry ‘inaction’ by KRERA

Nearly 500 home buyers staged a silent protest in front of the Town Hall on Saturday, demanding proper implementation and enforcement of the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (KRERA) regulations.

Forum For People’s Collective Efforts, Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF), Federation of Apartment Associations Bengaluru (FAAB) and various RWAs took part. Protestors said KRERA is functioning without any regulations in absolute lack of transparency and accountability.

In two years, not a single RERA awareness programme was conducted by KRERA, they complained.

“KRERA’s judgements are not honoured by erring builders and developers. RERA Act is common man-friendly with hefty penalties, revoking RERA registration, denying new RERA registrations, confiscating violators’ properties, freezing bank accounts and such, if stakeholders aren’t complying. None are implemented,” Sujatha Venugopal, a protester, told DH.

Suresh N R, director of NBF, said: “NBF and Fight for RERA Karnataka Chapter repeatedly requested the government to strengthen RERA Act, 2016. There are about 2,372 cases pending with KRERA. There was no public consultation.”

Protestors narrated incidents of mental torture by builders, who threatened to file false police complaints, defamation, civil and criminal cases. “Developers and their lawyers threaten whistleblowers. We demand legal help from KRERA to prevent harassment. Many such cases were brought forth in the RERA court,” said Sanjay Ramaswamy, a protestor.

They also demanded KRERA training sessions for BDA, BBMP, BMRDA, sub-registrars, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, etc.