In a major decision bringing relief to thousands, the Noida Authority has officially lifted the ban on the Sports City project in Sector 150. This move is set to unblock property registries for approximately 8,000 homebuyers who have been living in their flats for years but were unable to legally complete their paperwork.
Court Order Paves Way for Resolution
The Authority's board took this crucial step during a meeting on Saturday, acting in compliance with directions issued by the Supreme Court on November 24, 2025. The apex court had instructed the Authority to lift the ban after obtaining board approval, preferably within 30 to 45 days. The issue was presented to the board as part of the action taken to implement the Supreme Court's orders in a batch of special leave petitions (SLPs) related to the Sector 150 project.
Consequently, the board decided to issue a conditional occupancy certificate and formally removed the freeze on plan approvals and occupancy-related permissions specifically for the Sports City SC-02 project. Noida Authority CEO Lokesh M confirmed that the process to approve revised master plans has been initiated, and one project has already received a conditional occupancy certificate after clearing all outstanding dues.
End of a Long Wait for Homebuyers
The affected homebuyers, who have endured years of uncertainty, are spread across several major developer projects within Sports City. The breakdown includes:
- About 2,000 homebuyers in a Tata project
- 1,500 in Eldeco
- 1,500 in ATS Home Kraft
- 1,200 in Samridhi
- 1,500 across two Godrej projects
- Around 500 in Prateek Group developments
For these residents, the decision marks the end of a period filled with financial and emotional stress. Many have been paying equated monthly instalments (EMIs) for their flats while simultaneously paying rent for other accommodations, unable to gain full legal ownership due to the registry deadlock.
Origin of the Ban and the Path Forward
The restrictions were originally imposed during the Authority's 201st board meeting on January 18, 2021. This action followed serious objections raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its 2019 audit report. The audit had flagged irregularities in the allotment process, execution, costing, and overall implementation of the Sports City projects.
Acting on these findings, the board had halted all approvals related to the revalidation of building plans, revised and fresh maps, and the issuance of occupancy certificates for projects where the mandated 70% sports infrastructure had not been developed.
An official explained the significance of Saturday's decision: "It would remove the earlier blanket restriction for Sports City. Next, the Authority can resume processing building plan revalidation. Then, it can take up revised or fresh maps for consideration, and, finally, it can issue occupancy certificates, which are crucial for completing registries and related approvals."
However, officials were quick to clarify that the decision is strictly about complying with the court order and does not reduce the developer's responsibility to eventually build the mandated sports facilities under the Sports City scheme.
A spokesperson for Lotus Greens, the lead member of the SC-02 consortium, stated the developer's commitment to strict compliance with the Supreme Court's directions. "We are in touch with the authorities concerned and are taking all necessary measures to streamline processes and ensure that registries are executed in favour of homebuyers who stood by the project during difficult times," the spokesperson said.
The Supreme Court's directions, and now the Authority's implementation, aim to revive the stalled projects while simultaneously safeguarding the Authority's own financial and regulatory interests, finally offering a light at the end of the tunnel for the long-suffering homebuyers.
