DDA Housing Scheme 2014: Eagerly-awaited “Draw of lots” further delayed, to be announced on Nov 12

New Delhi, Nov 11: People waiting for the draw for Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) housing scheme will have to wait for few more days as it has got further delayed.

The draw which was initially scheduled for November 5, was postponed to November 10 and is now likely to be held on November 12.

According to media reports, DDA vice chairman Balvinder Kumar said that the draw is likely to be held on November 12 after successful trial runs.

Among other reasons for the delay, one is that even till Monday DDA received corrections from the banks as the data on applications received is either incomplete or incorrect in many cases.

Discrepancies in application leading to delay

"We have decided to give another opportunity to the applicants so that they can check discrepancies in application filed by them," Neemo Dhar, spokesperson of DDA was quoted as saying in the milleniumpost.

She further said the draw will be conducted only after all the errors are cleared. "We will conduct the draw after fixing all the discrepancies in data. We have given time to the applicants till 12 November to check their forms and report the error," Dhar further said.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for the first time has also planned to webcast the entire event live on YouTube, and so the run serves as a means to test everything in working conditions so as to avoid any glitches later on.

The webcast would be available for "unlimited" number of online users through the YouTube channel. The scheme, which was launched on September 1 had seen a massive response both online and offline, leading to DDA's website getting crashed within few hours on the opening day itself.

The last date for the scheme was October 9 but the date was extended till October 15 later. Till then 7.5 lakh applications were received. The number rose to 8.5 lakh a few days later as applications from far-flung bank branches reached the DDA headquarters (New Delhi) late.

DDA received over 10 lakh applications for 2014 housing scheme

"The number of received applications has crossed 10 lakh and that is pretty much the final figure, we would say. People are going online as they can check their application status on our website, where the procedure for conducting the draw has also been uploaded," a DDA official said.

The housing scheme offers over 25,000 flats across various categories, ranging from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 1.2 crore. Although about 17 lakh brochures were sold through DDA counters and the branches of its various empanelled banks, officials ascribed the "lukewarm response" to the scheme to the lock-in period and the nature of flats on offer.

"The primary reason for the not-so-overwhelming response, despite selling so many brochures, could be the five-year lock -in period for the ownership of the flats, which we have introduced for the first time.

"Besides, most flats are of lower range, one-bedroom types, so that could be another factor," the official said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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