Noida: Community centres in the city were built as sectoral amenities about three decades ago. In the late ’80s and ’90s, almost every other wedding, birthday party and other occasion was held at one of these centres. But now, they are fraying.Older facilities in sectors 11, 12, 19, 40, 44, 55 and 71 show signs of neglect: peeling plaster, seepage-stained walls, broken toilets and deferred maintenance. But even centres delivered within the past decade in sectors 51, 116 and 122 lack basic infrastructure, with some lacking kitchens or parking. Across the board, most community centres lack firefighting systems or rainwater harvesting measures.RWAs across the city have pointed out that more than two dozen community centres are in shambles and they have become unsafe for hosting large gatherings. “Several occasions, including weddings, birthday parties and engagements, are held in these community centres. During such functions, around 200 to 500 people gather. From the fire safety point of view, these centres are not safe at all,” said senior vice-president of the District Development RWA Sanjeev Kumar.In Sector 11, one of Noida’s earliest residential sectors, residents said the community centre has remained incomplete despite repeated requests to Noida Authority. RWA president Anup Gupta said portions of the building still have tin sheds instead of RCC roofing. “Frequent thefts are reported in the sector, which is open from all sides and has no gates. The sector is situated at the border of Delhi, near Kondli,” he said.He also pointed to unusable toilets, seepage, lack of kitchen facilities and the absence of firefighting systems. “We have made several petitions to the Authority, but there has been no redress. Tenders were issued for repairs and ceiling works nearly a decade ago, however, they were never acted upon,” Gupta added. The sector is densely populated with about 20,000 inhabitants.Neighbouring Sector 12 presents a similar picture. Residents described the centre as poorly maintained, with peeling plaster, broken flooring, rusted gates and garbage littered across the premises. RWA president Tarsem Chandra said anti-social activities were frequently reported there. “No one uses the community centre in our sector. Its condition is not conducive to holding functions or weddings,” he said.The venue is overgrown with bushes and infested with rats. “More and more people are forced to choose private banquet halls. We had written to the GB Nagar MP and MLA, but there has been no redress.” Chandra claimed that the community centre has become an ‘eyesore’, with stray cattle wandering in the abandoned building.The RWA in Sector 19, a centrally located sector, which is home to over 25,000 residents, has managed the facility after it was handed over by the Noida Authority in 2014. The centre was rebuilt as a double-storey structure with two halls and a lift shaft was built in it, but the Authority never installed the elevator. RWA president RC Gupta said the association undertakes repairs and pays electricity bills for ACs installed there. “Routine expenditure on maintenance is met from bookings of the centre,” Gupta said. But the funds are not enough for upgrading the dilapidated bathrooms, fixing the air conditioning and soundproofing the venue.Home to over 3,000 residents, Sector 40 was primarily developed as a planned residential area during the 1990s. The sector features well-established housing, including AWHO (Army Welfare Housing Organisation) flats, independent houses and green parks. It is centrally located, right opposite the main Dadri Road and near the Noida Golf Course. The sector enjoys excellent connectivity to the main commercial hubs of Noida through the Dadri Main Road and local Metro stations.Residents said the community centre now has damaged flooring, seepage in rooms, outdated kitchens with old electrical fittings. “The centre needs a power backup system. Due to its bad condition, there are not many takers of this centre for marriage and other functions,” said Mohinder Singh, RWA general secretary.Residents in Sector 71 and Sector 44 said their centres were too small for present-day requirements. Sector 44 residents pointed out that barely 100 to 125 people could be accommodated once a stage was erected. “There’s very little space for movement,” said a resident.Even recently built centres have not escaped criticism. In Sector 51, where the community centre was completed in 2024 after decades of demand, residents said bookings were difficult because of the lack of functional kitchen, toilets and firefighting equipment.Similarly, residents of Sector 116 said the building, constructed in 2022, already faces seepage and peeling plaster. “For weddings, residents still rely on private banquet halls and community halls,” said RWA president Brahmpal Choudhary.In Sector 122, residents complained about foul-smelling kitchen because of poor drainage and the absence of fire safety systems. They also said wedding functions often caused inconvenience to nearby residents because of loud music.
