New Delhi: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will no longer be the face of Amrapali Builders. The cricketer has ended his association with the company following which he will not serve as the company’s brand ambassador.
"Dhoni is no longer our brand ambassador... I do not want his image to be affected because of being attached to Amrapali," company Chairman and Managing Director Anil Sharma told PTI. "This decision was taken mutually by Dhoni and us," he added.
The development comes after aggrieved flat-buyers launched a massive campaign on the social media and virtually trolled Dhoni, the brand ambassador of the real estate giant, targetting him for the failed promises of the builder. Dhoni was the brand ambassador of the company for the last 6-7 years.
Faced with the tirade, Dhoni responded on Sunday saying he would take up the matter with the company and that whatever has been promised must be delivered.
Replying to questions in this regard in Mumbai at a press conference, Dhoni had said on Sunday it has become difficult for the builders in the current economic scenario.
“But at the same time, whatever is promised irrespective of where they stand, I think it needs to be met,” said Dhoni.
Amrapali group, which has developed a number of projects in the national capital region, has landed in murky waters due to numerous complaints of delayed possession and shoddy services. The matter rose to prominence after residents of Amrapali Sapphire took to social media to highlight their unaddressed complaints with the builder.
The residents, taking to Twitter and tagging the Indian skipper with #AmrapaliMisuseDhoni last week, urged Dhoni to ensure that their issues are addressed or else break ranks with the company.
The first phase of Sapphire, which was launched in 2009, has been completed and about 800 families have moved in out of 1,000 flats, but civil and electrical work in many towers is still incomplete, according to the residents.
The residents’ association claim that the electrical panels are open, wires are hanging, firefighting equipment, sprinklers and alarms are not functional. There is no maintenance staff for lifts, and neither lift operators.
Several other incomplete projects of Amrapali, including Silicon City, have been languishing for years now, with little progress in terms of construction and delivery promises.
Meanwhile, Amrapali has clarified that contrary to reports, Dhoni has not been a partner in the group. However, his wife Sakshi is a director in another of Amrapali’s company, viz., Amrapali Mahi Developers Pvt Ltd.
According to Amrapali, it had launched the company for ‘charity’ and that it would soon be wound up.
