Builder told to pay half of plan sanction fee in EWS quarters case

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed Maverick Holdings and Investments Pvt Ltd to deposit 50% of the fee demanded by BBMP for sanctioning the plan of the proposed construction of 1,512 EWS (economically weaker section) quarters in Ejipura.

Hearing a contempt petition filed by EWS Residential Welfare Association, a division bench comprising Justice Jayant Patel and Justice N K Sudhindra Rao directed BBMP to sanction the plan of the proposed EWS quarters in two weeks’ time.

EWS Residential Welfare Association had filed a contempt petition contending that though there was a joint agreement between the BBMP and Maverick to construct quarters as well as a mall at Ejipura in 2012, till date, no action has been taken despite a court order.

BBMP had demanded around Rs 7 crore for sanctioning its plan and the bench directed Maverick to deposit 50% of the amount. Maverick has also given an undertaking that it would finish the project in 18 months after its plan gets sanctioned.

The bench also directed the principal secretary, urban development department, to look into the delay in executing the project and to submit a report to the court before the next hearing. The bench adjourned the hearing to July 19.