Gurugram’s affordable housing projects face residents’ ire as missing 24-metre road becomes symbol of deeper crisis

From Signature Global City to ROF Alante and Pyramid Urban Homes, projects offered under Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojana (DDJAY) and Haryana’s Affordable Housing Policy, the story is the same: grand promises on paper, but broken on the ground. Residents allege that developers continue to sell dreams while ignoring realities, leaving families stranded in incomplete, unsafe projects. Despite repeated complaints, they say only empty assurances have followed.

“The builders made tall claims while selling flats, but where is the accountability? We put in our life’s savings only to feel cheated,” said one resident.

A battle for connectivity in Signature Global City

In Sector-37D, the residents of Signature Global City Phase-1 are at the forefront of the protest. The project, launched in 2021, began offering possession in 2024. Of the 1,250 flats, nearly 150 families have already moved in. But instead of convenience, they are grappling with uncertainty.

The residents claimed that the builder had promised four 24-metre-wide approach roads to ensure smooth connectivity to the Dwarka Expressway. Today, only a narrow 8-metre revenue road serves as the lifeline, and even that is in poor condition. Two of the proposed roads fall under the Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), while the others cut through agricultural land, rendering access impossible.

“During the sale, the builder claimed the society had direct connectivity through four wide roads. The reality is that elderly people and children cannot even step out safely. School-going children are suffering the most,” said a resident, requesting anonymity.

Another resident said, “When we asked about the 24-metre roads, the builder casually told us that three stretches are part of the 2031 Master Plan. How can a promise for 2031 be sold as a reality in 2021?”

Beyond connectivity, residents allege a lack of basic safety, maintenance, and women-friendly facilities. Taxi services refuse to come to the area, leaving families stranded during emergencies. “They sold it as ‘Bang on Dwarka Expressway,’ but without roads, what does it even mean?” a resident remarked.

“We are actively working to resolve the issues, including the 24-metre access road, but land acquisition remains a major challenge. Residents’ problems are our topmost priority and will be resolved soon. We are in touch with the government agencies to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, we are in constant touch with residents and are trying to work out a viable solution,” said a representative of Signature Global.

There was no response from DTCP regarding the issue.

Reddit users have also taken the residents’ infrastructure woes to online platforms.

“At the time of launch, Signature Global had promised four 24-meter-wide access roads for proper connectivity to the society. Initially, the developer even constructed one such road to demonstrate commitment, but it was later blocked as the land belonged to a government agency and not the developer,” a Redditor said.

“Now, residents are left dependent on a single revenue road, which has deteriorated badly over the past year. It is filled with potholes, has a large drain on one side, agricultural fields on the other, poor lighting, and safety concerns,” the Reddit post said.

ROF Alante: Roadblocks and water woes

The struggle is not confined to one project. At ROF Alante in Sector-108, residents are battling similar chaos. Built under the Haryana Affordable Housing Policy, the society comprises 728 flats, and possession has been handed over since January.

Here, too, the promised 24-metre approach road remains incomplete. In July, locals allegedly dug up the road and erected tin sheets to block access, further escalating tensions.

“We don’t even know who owns the land, the builder or the government. All we want is safe entry and exit. On top of that, we are facing a severe water crisis. How can families survive without a basic water supply?” a resident asked.

Alok Srivastava, General Manager of Facilities at ROF told HT.com that the disputed stretch is a Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) revenue road. On August 8, MCG and police officials conducted a demarcation exercise, assuring residents that the road would be opened soon.

“We are committed to resolving the issue. The 24-metre approach road belongs to MCG, and work will begin soon at our expense. We don’t want hostility between villagers and residents. Our priority is safety and smooth access. We have assured all the logistics support if needed to the MCG for the earliest action,” Srivastava said.

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Residents question “How was an Occupation Certificate (OC) granted without proper road access? On top of this, we are paying illegal maintenance charges, extra DG set costs, and ₹4,000 per month without any facilities. Schools have refused to provide transportation because of the unsafe approach road.”

Pyramid Urban Homes: ‘Affordable’ but at what cost?

In Sector-86, the residents of Pyramid Urban Homes-2 are facing challenges. Developed under the state’s affordable housing scheme, the project was launched in 2015 and handed over in 2019. Nearly 800 families now live there, but affordability has come at a steep price.

“We bought homes under the affordable policy, but there is nothing affordable here. The builder is charging maintenance illegally, even though the policy prohibits it for the first five years,” said resident Ved Veer Singh.

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Others complained about the absence of CCTV cameras, parking facilities, and security systems. “We are paying charges but not getting any facilities in return,” said Ajay Gautam, another resident.

Queries have been sent to the developer. The story will be updated if a response is received.

This is what legal experts have to say

Legal experts said that the promoter of a project is responsible for providing all essential services, as per Section 11(4)(d) of the RERA Act, 2016, which clearly notes the responsibility to provide and maintain essential services until the project is handed over to the association of allottees.

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Advocate Himani Bhadauria, a RERA expert, said, “A project cannot be deemed completed till all essential services are available. The completion and availability of such services are ascertained by the grant of occupancy or completion certificate by the competent authority. However, the grant of such certificates cannot be considered conclusive proof, given repeated instances of inadequate infrastructure in projects across Gurugram. The absence of essential services defeats the very essence of possession, as has been held by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in numerous cases.”

Parvesh Sharma is a journalist with over 15 years of experience covering real estate, infrastructure, and a wide range of civic and developmental beats in Gurugram