Delhi Development Authority’s budget focuses on housing projects

According to the plan, which was approved by Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Wednesday, the agency proposes to complete the construction of close to 11,000 high- and middle-income group flats (HIG and MIG) in Dwarka, Lok Nayak Puram in west Delhi, and Narela

Upgrading civic infrastructure in the three sub-cities of Narela, Rohini and Dwarka, and completion of pending housing projects, are the key focus areas of the Delhi Development Authority’s budget for the 2023-24 financial year.

While no new project has been announced in the budget, the focus this year is going to be on completing ongoing housing projects, said a senior DDA official. (HT Archive)

According to the plan, which was approved by Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena on Wednesday, the agency proposes to complete the construction of close to 11,000 high- and middle-income group flats (HIG and MIG) in Dwarka, Lok Nayak Puram in west Delhi, and Narela.

The agency has decided to spend ₹3,314 crore on upgrading the civic infrastructure in its three sub-cities — Dwarka, Narela and Rohini — where it has a number of housing projects. While approving the budget, the LG, who is the DDA chairman, directed officials to ensure “visible implementation in a time-bound manner”.

According to budget documents, the total outlay for the financial year 2023-24 is ₹7,643 crore, which is ₹290 crore less than the previous plan. DDA has put the projected receipts in the next financial year at ₹8,541 crore, which is about ₹600 crore more than the projected receipts for the 2022-23 fiscal.

While no new project has been announced in the budget, the focus this year is going to be on completing ongoing housing projects, said a senior DDA official.

The official said that 1,114 HIG flats facing the golf course in Dwarka Sector 24, nearly 650 MIG flats in Lok Nayak Puram, and about 9,000 HIG and MIG flats in Narela, will be ready this year.

Of the ₹1,767 crore for housing projects, ₹240 crore will be spent on construction of 1,108 MIG and 522 EWS flats in east Delhi’s Karkardooma — a project touted as India’s first Transit-Oriented Development project.

DDA has also set aside ₹70 crore for the 10 in-situ slum redevelopment projects. “DDA has projected a revenue of ₹4,310 crore on account of sale of additional inventory of existing housing projects which are nearing completion.

It is expected that completion of Urban Extension Road-II, connecting NH-48 to NH-2, Narela and the proposed Metro line, which is expected to be approved by government shortly, will give a fillip to the demand of DDA flats in Narela,” the agency said in a statement.

Dwarka is also getting a major makeover with an expressway and a host of facilities such as the international convention centre, sports complexes and the Bharat Vandana Park.

Last year, DDA decided to pay ₹3,600 crore as viability gap funding to the National Highways Authority of India for the construction of Urban Extension Road -II, often referred to as the third Ring Road of Delhi.

The agency has set aside ₹405 crore for payments in the next fiscal.