NOIDA: A local court has ordered a 100-metre protest-free zone around Jaypee Infratech‘s headquarters in Sector 128, prompting reactions from homebuyers who claimed they could no longer voice their grievances at the company’s doorstep.
Civil judge Mayank Tripathi granted the interim relief to Jaypee Infratech Ltd (JIL) — now under Suraksha Group‘s management — on Friday, noting that the defendants were served summons but failed to appear or submit objections. The ex-parte order drew sharp criticism from homebuyers, who accused the developer of misusing the legal process to suppress ‘legitimate concerns’ over their flats that have been stalled for more than a decade now.
The court’s decision came in response to a civil suit filed by Jaypee Infratech against homebuyers attached with JIL Real Estate Allottees Welfare Society (JREAWS) and other protesters. The company alleged that demonstrators had repeatedly disrupted operations through aggressive protests, blocked access to premises, and intimidated its staff. While the developer initially sought a 500-metre restriction, the court limited it to 100 metres, citing insufficient evidence for the larger area.
The timing of the order is significant. It follows a major demonstration on April 10, when over 125 homebuyers demanded clarity on construction timelines. This protest marked the first major demonstration since Suraksha Realty’s acquisition of Jaypee Infratech, which was approved by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in March 2023 and implemented in May 2024 after clearance from the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal.
The April protest had turned tense when demonstrators breached police barricades, resulting in minor injuries during a brief scuffle. The protesters demanded meetings with the senior management, citing concerns about insufficient workforce at the construction sites.
The buyers claimed their agitation was born out of frustration, with little or no visible progress on the long-stalled housing projects in the nearly one year since Suraksha officially took over.
“The civil suit filed by the company on May 15 appears designed to silence legitimate grievances. The notice was served on us late in the evening for a hearing that was scheduled the next morning. This effectively denied us a proper legal representation,” said Ashish Mohan Gupta, the JREAWS president.
The dispute revolves around Jaypee’s Wish Town project, launched in 2010-11 with deliveries promised by 2014-15. More than 17,000 buyers continue to wait for their homes. “Despite Suraksha’s takeover, the progress of construction has been minimal, contrary to the resolution plan’s requirement of resuming work within 90 days of NCLAT’s approval,” a buyer said.
Suraksha Group CEO Abhijit Gohil had earlier insisted that the company would remain committed to the resolution plan. “We have engaged over 3,000 workers and are scaling up operations. Contracts are being awarded and machinery mobilised. We’re also pursuing occupancy certificates for the completed towers actively,” he had said on the day of the protest.
The homebuyers said that they planned to contest the interim order at the next hearing which is scheduled for July 15. “We’re law-abiding citizens seeking our rightful homes,” said Gupta, urging authorities to focus on ensuring the construction’s progress rather than restricting “peaceful protests”.
