DDA Housing Scheme 2017: Draw of lots for flats in Delhi to miss Diwali date

The draw for Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA’s) housing scheme 2017, earlier scheduled for October, is likely to be held in first week of November now as the authority has not been able to collate data of applicants.

JP Agarwal, DDA’s principal commissioner (housing), blamed banks for the delay. He said the agency could not conduct the draw of lots around Diwali as planned earlier due to delay in receiving compiled information from the banks that had been authorised to accept application forms. Agarwal said the details of total application forms submitted at banks might take some more time because of which the draw will not be possible around the festival.

Eight banks were roped in by the DDA to collect forms for its new housing scheme. Agarwal, however, did not mention which of these had delayed information of applicants. More than 41,000 applications were submitted under the scheme offering 12,000 flats across four income categories.

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“We were expecting that data will reach us soon after the scheme was closed but the banks have not submitted it yet. So, we are looking for some date by the end of this month or the first week of November,” he said.

As per rules, the DDA is required to hold the draw of lots within three months after the last date of form submission — a target, which the official said, the authority will meet. “Statutory provisions allow us to carry out lottery within three months but we were planning to do it early, though it is not possible now. As we receive data from banks, we will start scrutiny of applicants which will take at least a week. Two more weeks are required to upload the information in the system,” Agarwal said, adding that the situation is under control and going as per the desired pace.

Agarwal said the draw may take place at the DDA headquarters under supervision of independent judges and experts. “A software is being specially developed and expert agencies have been engaged for the purpose. The system is foolproof,” he added.

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The scheme was launched on June 30 after a long wait and closed on September 11. Earlier, the agency had to extend the deadline due to poor response. The flats, ranging from Rs 7 lakh to over Rs 1.26 crore, are located in various colonies across the city such as Rohini, Dwarka, Narela, Vasant Kunj, Jasola, Pitampura, Paschim Vihar and Siraspur.