In a significant move to uphold transparency and accountability in Telangana’s real estate sector, the Telangana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TGRERA) has slapped a penalty of ₹38.5 lakh on a real estate firm developing the Westend Greens villa project at Mokila in Ranga Reddy district. The action comes in response to multiple violations under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, including deviations from the sanctioned layout and failure to register the project under RERA.
The promoter was found guilty of violating Sections 11 (duties of promoter), 14 (adherence to sanctioned plans), 12 (false advertising), and 61 (penalty for non-registration) of the Act. TGRERA has strictly ordered an immediate halt on any marketing, sale, or advertisement of the villas until the project is duly registered under the Authority.
Five residents of Westend Greens — Tumpi Shome, Sailaja Nukala, Monika Singh R, Tarun Dhar, and Sandeep Josyula — jointly filed the complaint. They alleged that despite making full payments towards the villas (including construction, clubhouse, amenities, and maintenance), the developer failed to hand over possession-ready units or complete the promised infrastructure.
Originally sanctioned by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) in 2011 for 117 villas, the project has seen painfully slow progress. As per complainants, only 20 villas were declared fit for occupation in over a decade, and as of February 2024, construction had barely reached 30% completion. The builder’s attempts to revalidate the layout in 2017 and 2019 were not disclosed to the buyers — a serious lapse in transparency.
TGRERA found that the project website continued to display outdated HMDA approvals without clarifying the current approval status — an act deemed misleading under Section 12 of the RERA Act.
Several buyers, already residing in incomplete units, raised serious concerns about safety and livability:
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Sewage waste is reportedly dumped into an open pit, violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) norms, due to the absence of a proper treatment system.
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The compound wall remains unfinished, leaving residents vulnerable.
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High-tension cables are exposed and pose a serious safety risk.
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The water supply is erratic, attributed to non-functional pumps.
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Despite prior payments for amenities, buyers were recently asked to settle dues with a liquidation services firm, raising alarms about the developer’s financial distress.
TGRERA has directed the developer to:
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Pay the ₹38.5 lakh penalty within 30 days.
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Obtain fresh layout approvals from HMDA.
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Register the project under RERA within 10 days of securing approvals.
Failure to comply will trigger legal action under Section 18, under which the builder would be liable to refund the entire amount paid by the buyers along with compensation.
This order sends a clear message to erring promoters in Telangana: non-compliance with statutory obligations and misleading practices will not be tolerated.
The Westend Greens case is a glaring example of how lack of regulatory adherence can jeopardize the interests of homebuyers. TGRERA’s firm action reinforces the objective of the RERA Act — to protect consumers, ensure timely project delivery, and bring transparency in real estate dealings. Buyers are now looking forward to either the project’s regularization or just compensation as per the RERA mandate.
