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The Gurugram district administration has launched a recovery drive against 71 real estate developers who have failed to pay nearly ₹446 crore in penalties and other dues arising from orders passed under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA), deputy commissioner Uttam Singh said.

Gurugram admin targets 71 developers to recover ₹446 crore in RERA dues

The administration plans to freeze bank accounts and attach properties of defaulting developers to recover the outstanding amount. Officials said criminal proceedings could also be initiated against builders who fail to clear their dues, with the possibility of arrest if recovery remains unsuccessful.

Singh said the administration had decided to accelerate the recovery process so that orders passed in favour of affected homebuyers do not remain on paper. The exercise will be undertaken in phases, beginning with larger defaulters, with the administration examining their assets and bank accounts and coordinating with revenue and other concerned departments.

Officials said the exercise would be closely monitored, particularly in cases involving substantial outstanding amounts, so recovery certificates pending for years can be acted upon and affected homebuyers receive the relief ordered by RERA.

Several recovery certificates have remained pending for more than four years, leaving homebuyers waiting for compensation, refunds or interest ordered by the regulator.

“RERA does its job by penalising the builder, but pending recoveries make the entire process toothless, and the homebuyer continues to suffer,” Singh said, according to officials. He added that the administration would first seek recovery from frozen bank accounts and attached properties.

Under the recovery mechanism, RERA issues a recovery certificate when a promoter fails to comply with an order relating to penalty, interest or compensation and forwards it to the district administration, where the amount is recovered as arrears of land revenue.

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  Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More