NOIDA: Residents of Mahagun Moderne Society, Sector 7,8 staged a protest on Sunday over the hike in Common Area Maintenance (CAM) charge by the AOA. The protest, which included banners and slogans, was against the CAM charges, which were increased from Rs 1.99 to Rs 2.55 per square foot (sq ft), without convening a mandatory General Body Meeting (GBM), igniting frustration among the nearly 2,600 families living in the society. Additionally, residents complained that fire exits were blocked near a tower, unauthorised shops were created in the place, malpractices by AOA and no democratic election.ns Residents argue that the CAM increase is unwarranted, especially given a significant reduction in the staff strength of the society from around 100% to 50%, the declining quality of services in the society, including maintenance issues, unsatisfactory cleanliness, and malfunctioning lifts. The hike took effect on June 1, and residents are voicing their concerns that they are being charged more for deteriorating living conditions. The protest highlights far more than financial grievances. Many residents are alarmed by the serious safety violations within the society, including the blocking of fire exits in one Tower Avlon by illegal constructions. “Illegal shops have been constructed inside the society by blocking fire exits of Tower Avlon and outside Gate No. 4, with zero action from the Noida Authority beyond empty notices of sealing of shops. Residents have met ACEO Satish Pal and his team plenty of times and explained to them the gravity of the situation, but other than assurances and serving internal notices, nothing has been done on the matter so far,” said Anshuman Singh, a resident of the society. Even complaints raised on the IGRS Jansunwai portal have not been addressed beyond noting the issue, said Singh, who claims the shop enclosures have been reportedly built within the society, despite a dedicated commercial sector of the society, and these are obstructing necessary fire escapes. “Approximately 200 families of Tower Avlon are potentially living next to a “death trap,” said Sunil Chaudhary, another resident of the society. “Despite numerous attempts to engage with local authorities, including meetings with Noida Authority officials, we have received only empty assurances,” said Rahul Mundra, another resident of the condominium. The protest also focused on the allegations directed no democracti elections held in the society since the takeover from the builder in 2018. “The same 5-6 people keep rotating among themselves the AOA positions. For seven years, no elections have been held for the AOA, perpetuating a cycle of control by a small group that allegedly uses political connections and intimidation to maintain its power. The same set of land mafias is controlling the AOA by threatening and exploiting residents,” said one senior resident Residents in Sunday’s protest demand accountability and the immediate rollback of the hiked CAM charges. “We further demand a transparent GBM, demolition of illegal constructions obstructing fire exits and criminal action against encroachers, the removal and investigation of corruption by the AOA members by the Noida Authority, urgent fire safety audit of all towers, accountability among Noida Authority officers for ignoring multiple complaints and fresh AOA elections under independent oversight,” said Singh.Residents warned that should their demands not be addressed promptly, they would escalate the situation to higher authorities, including the NHRC, the UP chief minister’s office, and the high court. When contacted, YP Gupta, current AOA president of the society, told TOI that the CAM charge increase was mandated by a state government order to comply with minimum wage laws. He dismissed the claims regarding blocked fire exits as unfounded, asserting that a fire safety audit had been conducted and that the necessary approvals were obtained from the Noida Authority. He also noted that AOA elections are conducted annually under the deputy registrar, and due process is followed. As regards the illegal shops created near the exit of Tower Avlon, Gupta stated that the area was earlier the builder’s office, where the current AOA office has been shifted. “No fire exit has been blocked; a fire audit has been done, and we have a NOC for 5 years. The shops near the said tower claimed to be blocked were earlier the builder’s office. We have only partitioned it and created three shops in the area. No additional structure or construction has been done there. This has also been checked by the Noida Authority,” said Gupta.
