A month after a Gurugram housing society publicly displayed the names of residents who had not paid maintenance dues, the move appears to have worked. The Residents Welfare Association (RWA) of Uppal Southend township in Sectors 49 and 50 has recovered around Rs 15 lakh, with nearly one-third of defaulters clearing their pending payments following the public notice, according to a report by The Indian Express.
The township had come into focus in early March when a big yellow board was placed outside the main gate, displaying the names of defaulters. The notice also mentioned penalties – services like food delivery from apps such as Zomato and Swiggy, car washing and even domestic help could be stopped until dues were paid.
Rs 45 lakh dues in premium township
The township, which includes independent floors, villas, and residential plots worth over Rs 2 crore, had pending maintenance dues of about Rs 45 lakh, the report mentioned.
“Over Rs 15 lakh of the Rs 45 lakh have been recovered, with more than 40% of those named on the board paying up. We did not have to send reminders. Neighbours of those named convinced them, and more residents are coming forward to clear their dues. Mostly, only legacy defaulters – those owing over Rs 1 lakh for some time now – are yet to pay up,” RWA general secretary Anil Anand told the news outlet on Saturday.
Anand said the move has received positive feedback, with RWAs from across Gurugram and even cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad contacting them. “We have been receiving calls and messages from RWAs wanting to replicate our plan,” he added.
Rules relaxed, but some restrictions stay
He also said the RWA has now relaxed its earlier strict rules. The decision to stop services like food deliveries from Swiggy and Zomato, domestic help, and car washing for defaulters has been eased However, he added, “RWA social events are still not open to defaulters.”
For many residents named on the list, the issue is not just about not paying but also about unequal services, especially security. Some residents say they are paying separately for private guards but are still being charged for common security.
“We don’t get the facilities we are being charged for. Our home is located on a 6-floor plot on the main road where there is no dedicated security guard. We employ guards at our own expense,” Sunita Chauhan, involved in the business of manufacturing aircraft parts, had earlier told IE.
‘Why pay for security we don’t get?’: Residents raise concerns over services
“Why should we pay for security, which forms 80% of the dues, when we do not get a guard. Most of those on the list face the same issue,” IE quoted Shalu Jain, a clinical nutritionist who is also named in the list, as saying.
However, Anand, who is into interior design business, had rubbished these claims. “Even with charges for security guards, the maintenance per month is nominal, between Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,350 per month. Do those not getting a guard not enjoy other facilities like community events, clean roads and parks for which we have to pay the staff,” he had asked.