20,000 applications for DDA’s housing scheme

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has received 20,000 applications for its new housing scheme, for which the last date for submitting applications is September 11, an official said on Friday.

The initial deadline for submission of forms was August 11, but the DDA authorities had extended it by a month, following poor public response till July-end. “After extending the date, we have received 20,000 applications so far. We will get full details across different categories by September 11,” a DDA official informed.

The 2017 housing scheme, which offers 12,000 flats for four income categories, was launched on June 30. On July 28, J.P. Agarwal, the principal commissioner (housing), DDA, said the authority had so far received 5,000 applications, conjecturing that demonetisation could have been a factor behind poor public response.

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 the remaining have been lying vacant. The flats range between `7 lakh and `1.26 crore.

Agarwal had said the DDA would make every possible effort to address all concomitant issues, including water supply and transportation. "Yes, some areas such as Narela, Rohini have connectivity issues and some of the flats need repair, but before allotting the flats, we will make them fit to move in," he said.

The draw of the lots is slated to be conducted in early November and could be streamed online. Mr Agarwal said that the DDA wants only genuine people to apply and ward off market speculation.