Housing scheme of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) appears to be quite jinxed this time. What was expected to be launched around Diwali time last year had to be postponed because of demonetisation to January 2017. Now, the agency has decided to defer the launch of its housing scheme till February end or March because the newly developed housing complexes lack basic infrastructure like approach roads, water supply, streetlights, etc.
Under its new scheme, DDA is also planning to resell 13,500 flats, which were returned by allottees of the 2014 housing scheme. “We have decided to announce the new housing scheme only after improving the basic infrastructure in our newly developed housing complexes. The engineering department has been directed to prepare a plan. Based on the time frame provided by them about the completion of work, we will plan the launch,” said a senior official.
Sources said that the engineering department will take two to three months to complete work related to roads, streetlights etc. “By the time we complete the allotment process, the engineering department will be able to develop the area around the complexes and address all the problems related to essential services like water,” said an official.
A visit to the areas reveals that there are no proper access roads to the complexes. There are security issues, as streetlights are missing. Most of the shops in the housing complexes are closed. People also complained about irregular water supply and poor quality of construction.
In six complexes in Rohini, water tankers are employed to fill the in-house tanks. In Narela, such tanks were kept outside the houses because repair work on water lines has been going on for over a year.
To ensure there are no large-scale rejections this time, DDA made some significant changes in its policy. First, the 11,000-odd LIG flats would be sold at the old rates (of 2014). Secondly, it has done away with the five-year lock-in period — earlier, an allottee was not allowed to re-sell his/her property for five years. Thirdly, applicants are not allowed to get the registration money back in case they withdraw from the scheme after allotment of flats.
But given the lack of infrastructure around the complexes, DDA has decided to first improve the basic facilities, so that the housing scheme gets a good response.