Allottees pitch tents outside DDA office

NEW DELHI: Allottees of the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) 2014 housing scheme sat on protest outside the DDA headquarters at Vikas Sadan on Tuesday, demanding LIG flats. The allottees have been alleging that the authority has “cheated” them by handing them EWS flats in the name of LIG flats.

Hundreds of protesters gathered before the authority headquarters on Tuesday morning for a three-day demonstration.the protesters have pitched tents outside the DDA headquarters.

“Our only demand is that the allottees are provided with LIG flats at no additional cost, as promised in the scheme, in place of these pigeon-holes. The DDA has cheated both the LIG applicants as well as those in the EWS category in this scheme,” said, Vaibhav Puggal, first allottee of the 2014 scheme and former RWA president of DDA housing complex in Rohini’s Sector-35. Majority of flats against which allottees were complaining are located in Rohini.

He added that the allottees have been repaying the loan for the past four years and should not be charged extra for allotment of new flats.

“We will spend the night in the cold but will not move from here till DDA officers address us and give a written assurance to provide LIG flats,” said Puggal.

DDA vice-chairman Tarun Kapoor, said, “We had spoken to residents earlier as well and told them that we are working out an alternative for them, which would be put before them shortly. However, it cannot be without paying an additional cost.”