DDA housing scheme delayed by six months

Delay due to incomplete construction of flats as well as ongoing elections

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA)’s latest housing scheme with about 3,000 flats on offer will be delayed by at least six months due to the incomplete construction of flats as well as ongoing elections. The housing scheme, which was announced after a gap of four years, was expected to roll out last month.

The project is being keenly watched for its attractive pricing. Usually, DDA flats are about 25-30 per cent cheaper than those sold by private developers. The agency postponed the announcement date, as flats are not yet ready. The Lok Sabha election is another reason for the postponement. A senior official of the urban development ministry confirmed the development and said the process would resume after May.

The last scheme was announced in 2010, when 15,000 flats were on offer. According to initial estimates, about 1,000-3,000 flats across Delhi, mainly in the areas of Rohini, Narela and Dwarka, would come for sale in the new housing scheme this year. The winners are chosen through a draw of lots.

The new scheme had recently generated a buzz among non-resident Indians (NRIs) as well, mainly from those based in the US and South Africa. “There is huge interest among NRIs for buying DDA flats because of the location, quality and price compared to other private developers,” a senior DDA official had said.

Earlier, housing schemes by DDA were more frequent, at least every two to three years. However, the agency has often failed to deliver the flats on time. Also, DDA has been unable to acquire any land over the last 10 years, due to which it has formulated a land pooling policy, under the Delhi Master Plan 2021. According to the policy, about 100 residential projects with estimated 14-16 lakh units across outer Delhi have been planned.

Under the policy, landowners can pool their land for development by DDA. But instead of compensation, the owners will get 48-60 per cent of the land back after the authority has set up the infrastructure. The owners will then be allowed to build on the land themselves or give it to private developers.