In a significant safety directive, the Noida Authority has ordered residents across all housing societies to remove flower pots from the edges of balconies, particularly parapet walls, citing a tragic incident in Pune where a falling flower pot led to the death of a child. The decision was announced on Wednesday by Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lokesh M, who warned that non-compliance could lead to legal action, including FIRs against the President or Secretary of the Apartment Owners Association (AOA). In cases where no AOA exists, the responsibility will lie with the builder and the individual flat owner.
“All flower pots placed on balcony parapets or stands must be removed immediately. If anyone fails to follow this rule, strict action can be taken. An FIR may be filed against the President or Secretary of the Apartment Owners Association (AOA). In societies, without an AOA, the builder and flat owner will be held responsible,”CEO Lokesh M told Hindustan Times.
The authority has instructed AOAs to notify all residents through society notice boards, WhatsApp groups, or SMS messages, and ensure complete compliance with the directive.
“This sad incident, which came to light on social media, showed a child playing below in a society compound who died after a flower pot fell on him from a balcony. To avoid such accidents, all societies in Noida must act quickly and remove these pots from parapet walls,” the CEO added.
Officials also pointed out that residents often extend balconies to place flower pots or vases, a practice considered unauthorised construction under existing regulations.
The authority hopes that this preventive measure will help avert similar accidents in the future. However, the directive has sparked concerns among resident bodies.
“The Noida authority should act against the flat owner violating the rules instead of the office-bearers because AOAs don’t have power to take action against flat owners. The authority must change the rules that allow them to act against the AOAs because flat owners often don’t pay heed to AOA directive,” said Rajiva Singh, president of the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association.
This move follows similar advisories in neighbouring cities. In December 2023, a delivery worker was injured in Greater Noida after a flower pot fell on him while delivering a package. Earlier this month, the Ghaziabad administration also issued a comparable safety advisory following the Pune tragedy.
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