All roads now lead to L Zone of Dwarka, in south west Delhi. As per the Delhi Development Authority, this is the largest zone of Delhi with 22,840 hectares. At least half of this land can be urbanised and is proposed to come under land pooling policy of DDA. Builders have rushed in with pre-launches. But the worrisome bit is that the Government is yet to notify the zone.

The road of Nirmal Dham leading to L- Zone is now a busy stretch with real estate agents and property hawkers lining up the streets trying to sale as many projects possible.

DDA’s land pooling policy is still work in progress. The authorities are awaiting final orders from the Delhi government declaring 95 villages as development area and 89 of them as urban villages.

The scary bit of it all – gullible home buyers are parting with their hard earned money on pre-launches, which are absolutely illegal. This prompted DDA to issue public notices warning the public about such purchases. DDA has issued these notices several times warning people against registered and unregistered societies floating attractive schemes for booking of plots and flats claiming that the land for the purpose is with them under the land pooling policy.

“We do not even know what the final guidelines and procedures for clearances and approvals will be. There is still a long proces. DDA will return the land, reallocation of plots will happen. Zoning will take time and approvals for building plans has to come. Buyers need to do their own due diligence. DDA has issued public notices several times. It is completely illegal to launch, pre-launch projects like this,” Rohit Raj Modi, VP, CREDAI said.

Developers like Antriksh who have done a pre-launch of a residential project here defend their position saying bookings have been made with enough enough disclaimers. “We have not promised that the project will come up in this particular plot of land though we own land in L Zone. We have taken only 20 per cent of the booking amount. Remaining amount we will collect after we get the land transfer certificate from DDA. The customers’ money is safe with us,” said Harpreet Singh, Head-Channel Sales, Antriksh Group in an attempt to assure their buyers.

When NDTV went on location trying to investigate into the matter, we found boards of several societies and companies dug in the middle of farm lands. According to Manjit, a resident and farmer in L Zone, companies and societies have paid money to him to put up these boards as the land still belongs to him and his family. “Our crops keep getting destroyed. So if I am getting money, Rs 30,000-50,000 per board sitting at home then why not.This money is helping me in my farming activities,” Manjit revealed.

Brokers aligned with the builders hawking projects in L-Zone, did not have a direct answer to the critical question like how can these projects be sold even before the final notification is out.

The absence of a real estate regulator has never been felt more acutely than now when all rules of safety are being openly flouted by unscruplous developers. No amount of warning really protects the home buyer, who is promised a discounted home. Such pre luanches have to be made absolutely illegal, with strict action against the erring developers and brokers by a regulatory authority for buyer protection.

Oineetom Ojha, Special Correspondent- Real Estate.