DDA housing scheme: 20,000 applications received, says official

New Delhi, Sep 1: Around 20,000 applications have been received under new Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scheme, for which the last date for submitting applications is September 11.

The initial deadline for submission was August 11, but DDA authorities had extended it by a month, following poor response from people till July-end. "After extending the date, the total number of applications received a stand at about 20,000. We will get full details across different categories by September 11," a senior DDA official told PTI. The 2017 Housing Scheme, which offers 12,000 flats for four income categories, was launched on June 30.

On July 28, DDA's Principal Commissioner (Housing), J P Agarwal had said that the housing authority had by then received only 5,000 applications, conjecturing that demonetisation could have been a factor behind lesser number of people applying for it. The flats are spread across Rohini, Dwarka, Narela, Vasant Kunj, Jasola, Pitampura, Paschim Vihar and Siraspur. Of the 12,000 flats, around 10,000 unoccupied ones are from the 2014 housing scheme, while 2,000 have been lying vacant. The price of flats range from close to Rs 7 lakh to over Rs 1.26 crore.

Agarwal had said the DDA will make every possible effort to address all concomitant issues, including water supply and transportation. "Yes, some areas like Narela, Rohini, have connectivity issues, and some of flats need repair, but before allotting the flats, we will make them fit to move in as well," he said. He said the Delhi Jal Board has committed to the DDA to ensure water supply in all areas where it is lacking in the next six months.

"We have also written letters to the Delhi Metro and DTC authorities seeking transport infrastructure in these areas," he said. The draw of the lots is slated to be conducted in the first week of November and could be streamed online. Agarwal said the DDA wants genuine people to apply and ward off market speculation.

The four categories of houses are -- HIG (High Income Group) with 87 flats ranging from Rs 53.52 lakh to Rs 126.81 lakh; MIG (Middle Income Group) with 404 flats ranging from Rs 31.32 lakh to Rs 93.95 lakh; LIG/one-bed room flats numbering 11,197 and ranging from Rs 14.50 lakh to Rs 30.30 lakh; and 384 Janta flats ranging from Rs 7.07 lakh to Rs 12.76 lakh.

For the LIG (Lower Income Group) category, the registration fee will be Rs 1 lakh while for Middle Income Group and High Income Group flats, Rs 2 lakh will be charged. The 2014 scheme offered 25,040 flats across categories, with prices ranging between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 1.2 crore.

The online response was so massive that the DDA's official website crashed soon after the launch. The one-bedroom flats were offered in Dwarka, Rohini, Narela and Siraspur areas.

PTI