DDA to launch new housing scheme post MCD polls

Soon after the conclusion of the municipal polls on April 23, the Delhi Development Authority's new housing scheme with 12,000 flats on offer is likely to be rolled out. 

Out of the total number of flats, most of them in Rohini, Dwarka, Narela, Vasant Kunj and Jasola, 10,000 unoccupied flats are from the 2014 scheme, while 2,000 are other flats which have been lying vacant.

The urban body has tied up with 10 banks for sale of application forms and scheme-related transactions.

"Eight banks we had roped in earlier and recently two more were added, i.e., ICICI Bank and Canara Bank. The other eight banks are -- Axis Bank, Yes Bank, IDBI, Bank of Baroda, Central Bank, SBI, Kotak Mahindra and HDFC", a senior official told PTI.

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The scheme was earlier planned to be launched in February but an cillary infrastructure work, like building of connecting roads and installation of street lights, around some of the flats is still going on at some sites.

"Our engineering department is working on completing the job, wherever needed in tandem with other agencies like the PWD. And, we should be able to launch the scheme soon after the MCD elections", the official said.

He said DDA this time only wants genuine buyers to apply and check market speculation.

"So, we have done away with the provision of surrendering of flats. And, this means if the buyer later seeks to surrenders the flat, he will have to forfeit the registration fee of Rs 1 lakh or Rs 2 lakh depending on the nature of flat.

"People are free to visit the areas where the flats are being offered before making up their mind. We have also removed the lock-in period clause, as we realised, this was also a factor in buyers surrendering the flats. This is also to keep a check on those elements who do market speculation", he added.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, also chairman of the DDA, has instructed senior officials to ensure that adequate public transport connectivity and other necessary basic infrastructure are available before the rolling out of the new scheme.

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"Both husband and wife can apply for the scheme but one of them would have to give up, if both are alloted flats", the official said.

Sources said most of the flats are one-bedroom LIG flats from the last housing scheme and no new flat is on offer this time.

"About 10,000 are LIG flats from 2014 DDA scheme. Unlike EWS (Economically Weaker Section) category last time, in this scheme there would be no such category", the official said.

For LIG category the registration fee would be Rs 1 lakh while for MIG and HIG it would be Rs 2 lakh.

"Application forms would be available both online and offline", he said.

From application to refund, the DDA this time has planned to make the scheme an online affair to reduce the long queues of flat buyers at its headquarters.

Scheme 2014 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 DDA's official website had crashed soon after the launch. The one-bedroom flats were offered in Dwarka, Rohini, Narela and Siraspur areas.