Technical snag quash hopes for MHADA flat

, May 5: With the eagerly awaited

Housing and Area Development Authority’s (MHADA)

form that is a virtual ticket to many Mumbaikars dreaming of a house, the matter met with a flat beginning. The much-in-demand lottery forms this year hit a wall even before it kick started.

With many middle and lower income groups awaiting the dream chance of getting a MHADA flat with the help of some sheer luck had to face resistance in the form of a technical snag. With the news of 2,593 houses from Powai, Magathane, Sion, Kurla, Malvani and Charkop, and Mira Road up in the market, the common man was elated. But the lottery forms that are available online in the website - https://lottery.mhada.gov.in just refused to load disappointing many residents.

A senior MHADA official has been quoted as saying, "It’s a technical snag. I can’t say anything more about it.”

The MHADA had earlier published an advertisement on Thursday stating that the lottery for the apartments will be held on May 31. Applications for the same will, however, be accepted from 2 pm on Thursday till May 23.

Of the 876 flats available in Mumbai, 172 are for the high-income group that has a monthly income of more than Rs 40,000; while 234 flats are for the middle-income group that has an income limit in the range of Rs 20,000- Rs 40,000 a month.

Meanwhile, there are close to 1,726 flats on offer at Mira that are offered through the lottery system.

According to official sources, the domain for the lottery registration was registered on Tuesday and it takes 24 hours for it to be activated. But the plans went kaput, and the activation did not happen as planned. The agencies that were responsible for ironing out the glitches was doing the same till as late as Thursday evening.

With time running out and the public's patience waning due to the impending deadline, thousands of applicants are enraged. The MHADA helplines are flooded with calls from angry applicants.

In order to avoid chances of fraudulent applications, the MHADA has made it mandatory for applicants to provide their pan card and bank account details. They had also set up a committee to regulate the lottery procedure. Popular IT company, Tata Consultancy Services is the system auditor.

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