new delhi economic slowdown due to demonetisation and introduction of gst cannot be a ground for delaying completion of housing projects by real estate companies national consumer disputes redressal commission held while directing noida developer mahagun to refund over rs 50 crore to 29 homebuyersthe homebuyers booked flats in 2013 and the company nexgen infracon pvt ltd had promised to hand over possession by february 2016 it however failed to complete the mahagun mezzaria project even two years after the stipulated period and the homebuyers who deposited over rs 1 crore each approached the commission in 2018the company however contended the project was delayed because of various factors such as demonetisation in 2016 and gst in 2017 beyond its control it said payment to labourers was also hamperedbut the commission said the homebuyers couldnt be made to wait indefinitely allowing the plea of the homebuyers lawyer aditya parolia it directed the firm to refund the money along with compensation at 12 annual interest ncdrc president justice r k agrawal said wherever the builder commits a particular date they must necessarily honour the commitment though a minor delay may not constitute deficiency in the service