DTCP to inspect affordable housing constructions as complaints pile up

The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has decided to conduct an inspection of affordable housing projects where the pace of construction is not meeting the timelines

The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has decided to conduct an inspection of affordable housing projects where the pace of construction is not meeting the timelines. Developers of five such projects have also been directed not to demand payment from buyers till the adequate amount of construction is carried out.

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The decision was taken after a review meeting on Tuesday, wherein officials observed that some developers were not executing the work at the required pace.

Sanjeev Mann, senior town planner, said that directions have been issued to officials to constitute a team and visit the construction sites to check the status of work as there have been repeated complaints from buyers regarding delays in construction. “The report should be submitted to this office in the next week and after perusing the same, we will make recommendations to senior officials in Chandigarh for initiating action against the developers,” he said.

DTCP officials observed that a number of complaints had been received directly by the department, while a few were also registered with the CM Window, following which it was decided that a status report be obtained in this matter. Mann said that earlier, the department considered the status report submitted by developers in good faith, but the rising number of complaints have forced them to intensify scrutiny.

The decision to call for an inspection was also triggered by the fact that some of the developers did not attend the review meeting called by the department on January 27. A major grouse of the homebuyers in these projects has been that while 50% of the payments have been made, the pace of work has been inadequate.

“Affordable housing will remain viable only if the builders deliver the projects within the stipulated time of four years. The majority of buyers in these projects are end-users, who want the units to live there. If timelines are not followed, then the entire idea would be defeated,” said Mann, adding that the directions from the government state that projects under this segment should be completed on time.

Gurugram has 80 affordable housing projects on the ground and there are around 50,000 such apartment units in various stages of construction. To boost this segment, the department has already announced an increase in the land available in residential sectors and the size of the projects.