Delhi: 135 Residents of Signature View Surrender Their Flats

Signature View Residents Begin Flat Surrender Amid Safety Concerns, Seek Clarity on Rent Compensation

In north Delhi’s Signature View Apartments, 135 homeowners have officially surrendered their flats to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), initiating the process for reconstruction of the structurally unsafe buildings. Several other residents have also begun formalities for evacuation, though uncertainty over rent compensation continues to delay the process for many.

The society, located in Mukherjee Nagar, was declared structurally unsafe by IIT Delhi in a 2022 report. The Residents Welfare Association (RWA), in a letter to the newly appointed DDA vice-chairman, urged immediate action, citing serious safety risks and pending decisions on compensation.

“Most residents are willing to vacate but are awaiting clarity on rent timelines,” said Gaurav Pandey, general secretary of the RWA. “The longer the delay, the greater the risk to residents still living in unsafe buildings.”

The RWA has requested that rent payments begin from July 1 for flats already vacated, and has proposed an August 31 deadline for all remaining residents to complete documentation and hand over their homes. The association insists that rent must start within a month of vacating, even for the second batch.

Despite ongoing phased evacuations, DDA has only initiated basic lift repairs in some towers, with no official response to further queries. The RWA's letter highlighted repeated appeals over the past year for timely rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

Signature View Apartments, launched in 2007 and handed over to residents from 2012 onwards, comprise 12 towers and 336 flats in HIG and MIG categories. In 2023, DDA offered homeowners either a buyback of the flats or rent compensation for three years—but only after complete evacuation of the society.

However, with the rent disbursal still tied to a Delhi High Court directive, many residents remain in limbo.