DDA gets about 50k applications for new scheme

The DDA has received about 50,000 applications for its new online housing scheme, with authorities Tuesday attributing the poor response to bulk of the flats being located in Narela area in outer Delhi, among other factors. The deadline to apply for the Delhi Development Authority's online scheme 2019, which was launched in March, ended on June 10. "As far as the number of applications received is concerned, we are getting data from different banks. We haven't arrived at the final figure yet, but the figure as of now is about 50,000," DDA's vice-chairman Tarun Kapoor said.

The scheme is for sale of nearly 18,000 newly built flats in Delhi's Vasant Kunj and Narela residential areas. Asked about factors that could have led to poor response from people, Kapoor, said, "Bulk of out flats are located in Narela, which is an upcoming area in outer Delhi. So, that was one factor, perhaps." "And, secondly, the market has also been low, so, this could have also affected the decision of people," he said.
The DDA had received a total of 7.5 lakh applications for it flagship housing scheme 2014 which had offered over 25,000 flats across various categories. 

The DDA Housing Scheme 2019 was launched on March 25, offering flats across four categories. The deadline for application was extended by a month till June 10, after getting a low response. The deadline for the same was May 10 earlier. "As many as 17,922 flats are on offer in four categories -- HIG, MIG, LIG and EWS," a senior DDA official had earlier said. The flats available in these categories are - 488 (HIG), 1,555 (MIG), 8,383 (LIG) and 7,496 (EWS).

For the economically weaker section (EWS) category, application fee has been fixed at Rs 25,000, for the LIG category it is Rs 1 lakh and for MIG and HIG flats Rs 2 lakh. All processes, ie from application to verification and other formalities, are to be conducted online. Application forms were available on websites of 13 empanelled banks, officials said. The DDA had made available for inspection, sample flats across all categories at Vasant Kunj and Narela. These flats were "open for inspection to the public on all days, including Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm."

The housing authority had also made arrangement for shuttle bus service from Jahangirpuri Metro Station to Narela every Saturday, Sunday and on public holidays till the scheme was open. A senior official earlier had said that the DDA Housing Scheme 2019 within hours of its launch in March had "received three lakh hits" on the urban body's website.