Open shafts starkly similar to a dark abyss, electric wires dangling dangerously, waterlogged basements, seepage and non-functional elevators-these are some of the home truths scores of flat buyers in Noida and Greater Noida have been confronted with after getting long delayed possession from builders.

After Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath directed the administration to ensure that 40,000 flats are handed over to investors every three months, developers are allegedly giving possession without getting completion certificate from the Noida authority while brazenly neglecting safety, hygiene and customer satisfaction.

Nearly one lakh homebuyers in Noida and Greater Noida are awaiting possession of their flats. Also, many buyers who recently shifted to their "new" flats after much delay were shocked to find their apartments in abysmal condition despite paying maintenance charge.

"The open shafts pose a threat to children. The basement parking is in a mess because of dumped construction waste, and waterlogging, which breeds mosquitoes," said Ajeet Singh, who shifted to a high-rise apartment near Bisrakh in Greater Noida West six months ago. After a maid's child fell into an unbarricaded shaft in a building next to Singh's apartment and died, residents have "fenced" the shafts with chairs and flowerpots.

There are 17 families in our tower, which has 160 flats. All of us were kept in the dark by the builder about the certificate - Ashish Jha, Resident

JB Singh, who recently shifted to a skyscraper in Greater Noida West, has a similar horror tale to tell. "The shafts are supposed to be covered. Bare electric wiring is also a threat to children; we live a dangerous life. With ongoing construction across the society, the deafening noise of drilling machines, tile cutters and hammers starts as early as 8 am and ends at 9 pm. Kumar too has barricaded the shaft that passes through his flat with chairs and flowerpots.

Non-functional elevators are also testing the patience of residents. "I shifted to the 15th floor last December. Since then, one of the only two elevators often goes dead," said Sagar Chaudhary, who too stays in Greater Noida West.

Despite paying maintenance charge from day-one, Ashish Dubey's society lacks a swimming pool, a club and proper security. "Forget about swimming pools, we don't even have a club to organise birthday parties or get-togethers. Besides, roads leading to the towers are incomplete and labourers who roam around are never frisked. Several thefts have been reported. Electric wires are dangling from uncovered points. To whom should we complain?" Questioned Dubey, another resident of Greater Noida West.

An incomplete shaft in one of such buildings in Noida

Ashish Jha, who too stays in a high-rise, said he and other residents came to know that their builder had not obtained a completion certificate from Noida authority after they had moved into their flats. "There are 17 families in our tower, which has 160 flats. All of us were kept in the dark by the builder about the certificate," he said.

Manu Chaudhary, who stays in a high-rise in sector 121 of Noida, said, "The builder is silent over the completion certificate of a tower delaying registration." However, Suresh Garg, secretary of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI), western UP, denied Noida authority providing completion certificate to any builder whose project is incomplete.

"First of all, Noida authority will never give completion certificate to any builder whose project is incomplete and no buyer will be given possession before it is issued," Garg said. "Both the authority and the builder will have to work together to solve such issues. If there is a parking problem or the construction is not complete in the basement, the builder will have to provide an alternative."

Noida authority chief executive officer Alok Tandon didn't respond to phone calls or messages.