NOIDA: Hardening its stance, even as many applications for no-objection certificates are stuck in a limbo because of stiff new conditions brought in this year — including a mandate to hire at least one woman trainer — the sports department has asked three residential societies in Greater Noida west to shut their gyms and pools for operating without the permissions.
The move follows inspections by officials of the department after several condominiums decided to open their pools, with the NOCs not coming through. Swimming season has anyway been cut short by a month this year, with pools opening in May instead of April as operators waited for NOCs to come. In most societies, hundreds of residents are enrolled for swimming classes or go to the pool for a swim in summers. Residents also pay monthly charges for the pool.
AOAs and RWAs had earlier told TOI they were willing to work with the authorities for a solution but keeping pools shut was unfair to residents. However, the sports department appears to have a different view.
A team that went on surprise inspections at Supertech Ecovillage 3, Shree Radha Sky Garden and French Apartments on Friday found the three condominiums had either not hired women trainers or “compromised” on safety standards.
In Jan, the sports department mandated that all pools, gyms and yoga centres must appoint at least one woman trainer or lifeguard, in line with a recommendation made by the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission in Dec 2024. The guidelines also include the installation of CCTV cameras, building separate changing rooms for men and women, and an intimation to the department about the operator or agency maintaining the facility.
TOI had last week reported that several societies were finding it difficult to hire women fitness trainers or swimming coaches.
“Condominiums in Noida usually charge around Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 in maintenance charges for these amenities. Instead of closing everything down suddenly, the administration should give some time to complete the formalities. Shutting pools in peak summer only punishes residents,” Mrityunjay Jha of Ecovillage 3 said after the society’s gym and pool were shut.
Anita Nagar, deputy district sports officer, said there are around 350 gyms and 400 swimming pools in the district. So far, only 30 gyms and 125 swimming pools, primarily in sports academies, schools, and a few hotels, have obtained clearance.
She said Shri Radha Sky Garden Society was found operating its gym without an NOC. The society’s pool, for which they had yet to get an NOC, was non-operational. At French Apartment, the pool was opened to residents without NOC. A notice was subsequently issued to the builder and maintenance team, asking them to shut down the pool immediately. The sports officer clarified that none of the pools or gyms were sealed but closed temporarily with instructions to operators to comply with norms, submit documents and get NOCs.
Sudeep Jaiswal, president of French Apartments AOA, later said they had applied for an NOC on April 9 but were yet to get approval. “After today’s inspection, we resubmitted documents and the department has given us a go-ahead to open the pool,” he said. Satya Prakash Yadav, a resident of Sky Garden, said the gyms and pools were a basic facility for many like him. “The flats were sold with a promise of a gym and pool. While compliance with regulatory norms is a must, deadlines and norms must be more realistic,” he said.
