DDA flat allottees wait for removal of five-year lock-in clause

For the last one year, allottees of Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) 2014 housing scheme have been waiting for the authority to do away with a clause that prohibits them from selling the flats before five years from the date of allotment.

In 2017, the authority had done away with the five year lock-in period clause while re-selling 13,000 flats that had been surrendered by the allottees of the 2014 housing scheme.

“The flats are the same. We can’t sell our flats while those who were allotted the flats in 2017 can. How can DDA have two different policies?” said Vaibhav Puggal, former RWA president of a DDA housing complex in Rohini’s Sector 35. He said he had also filed a complaint regarding the same with the DDA.

“In 2017, we were assured that a circular to remove the lock-in period will be issued soon. But it has been a year and no action has been taken so far,” said Puggal.

In reply to Puggal’s complaint, DDA has said that the proposal to do away with the lock-in period is “under consideration”.

Some allottees also alleged that the land-owning agency had not been able to provide even the basic civic infrastructure in the last three years. “Water is supplied through tankers in the society. A majority of the houses have not got water meters installed, but we have been asked to pay water bills. Ever since the flats were handed over to us, we have been asking DDA to provide us with basic infrastructure. But little has been done so far,” said Sanjay Saini, resident of DDA housing complex in Narela G2.

Aneesh Puri, president of DDA flats in Narela A-9, said that the DDA has not paid attention on the upkeep of his colony despite charging money from residents. “We are finding it hard to maintain the society and provide essential facility to residents. Despite repeated complaints, DDA is doing little to maintain the area,” said Puri.

A senior DDA official aware of the matter said, “The matter related to five year lock-in period is under consideration. A proposal in this regard will soon be placed in the DDA meeting.”

Following representations from allottees last year, DDA had assured them that a decision to do away with the clause will be taken soon. “The possession of the flats was given to us three years ago. How long will it take DDA to remove the clause? Those who bought the flats in 2014 are at the receiving end of DDA’s poor planning,” said Puggal.

DDA’s last two housing schemes, in 2014 and 2017, have got a poor response from the public. Of the 25,000 flats put on sale in 2014, close to 13,000 were surrendered by allottees. In 2017, DDA came out with a new housing scheme to re-sell these flats. Of the 12,072 flats put on sale, close to 8,000 were surrendered again.

In the recent meeting, the land-owning agency approved a proposal to sell these flats to government organisations and PSUs.