Gurgaon: Residents of Emaar Palm Gardens in Sector 83 staged a protest on Monday, alleging repeated attempts by representatives of a school to forcibly enter and take control of a 0.5-acre green area near Tower 2. The space, which has been at the centre of a legal dispute since 2021, witnessed tense scenes as residents gathered to resist unauthorised entry. Tensions built over the past few days, and the representative of the school attempted to enter the green area again on Monday, days after a similar incident on Feb 5, when they tried to remove temporary demarcations and started possession of the land. This prompted the residents to file police complaints.On Monday, residents said there was another attempt to enter the green area, prompting fresh protests within the complex. “For the past several days, our community was under constant threat of forcible entry and intimidation. We are concerned about the safety of our residents, especially children and senior citizens, during these confrontations,” said Sunil Sharma, RWA president of the society. The issue dates back to Dec 2020–Jan 2021, when the developer began digging the green area, claiming it formed part of the primary school land. In response, residents jointly filed a civil suit in 2021, seeking protection of the space as a community green area. After the suit was moved, digging was halted and the area was restored. As no permanent construction took place during the proceedings, no interim stay was granted at the time. The case remains pending before the District Court and is listed for April 23, 2026. During the pendency of the suit, the developer and the school management entered into a settlement agreement. According to residents, the agreement clearly stated that the 0.5-acre parcel would remain a green area for residents, that construction rights over it were relinquished, and that no concrete or brick boundary wall would be erected. These conditions, residents said, were to be incorporated into any future conveyance deed. “However, we were recently informed that a conveyance deed was executed in July 2025 in favour of the school management. This document was never disclosed to residents earlier. The deed was filed before the court on Feb 7,” Sharma added. In a letter to the chief minister, the RWA described the situation as “volatile” and said it posed a threat to the safety of hundreds of families, including children and elderly residents. Meanwhile, the representative of the developer said, “Emaar India is fully compliant with all legal and regulatory norms related to land ownership and transfer, and it upholds the highest standards of integrity and transparency across all its projects. The matter is currently sub judice before the competent judicial authority. Emaar India reaffirms its commitment to acting in accordance with the law and maintaining the highest ethical standards of business conduct as a responsible corporate entity.”
