Bengaluru: Consumer Court orders BDA to refund Rs 8.03L for 9-year delay in flat handover

The IV Additional District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to refund Rs 8.03 lakh with 18% annual interest to a Marathahalli resident who was denied possession of a promised flat for over nine years. The Commission also ordered BDA to pay Rs 1 lakh for service deficiency, Rs 25,000 for mental agony, and Rs 10,000 towards litigation costs.

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The complainant, a 70-year-old man, had applied for a 1BHK flat in Gunjur village under BDA’s Economically Weaker Sections housing scheme in 2014, paying an initial amount of Rs 1.12 lakh. BDA demanded the remaining Rs 7.87 lakh, which he paid through a housing loan in instalments. Despite completing 95% of the payment by 2015, the authority failed to provide a handover date or respond to multiple follow-ups.

Upon visiting the project site in 2016, the complainant discovered incomplete construction. Repeated appeals to officials and state leaders yielded no results. BDA later cancelled its contract with the original builder and re-tendered the project, further stalling progress.

The Commission ruled that BDA failed in delivering the flat or developing basic amenities, rendering the homes unfit for occupation. It concluded that the delay was unjustified, particularly for an elderly allottee who fulfilled most of his financial obligations.