Gurugram: DTCP finds glitch in Sohna flat allotment, draw likely to be nixed

An inquiry found that only 2,200 applicants who listed Sohna as their address were considered in the draw while others were excluded due to software error

The Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) has found that a technical glitch in its software portal led to the faulty allotment of flats in an affordable housing project in Sohna, prompting the department to put the draw on hold. The department had initially withheld the allotment on February 18 after all 708 successful applicants were found to be from Sohna, despite over 51,000 applications being received from various locations.

Gurugram: DTCP finds glitch in Sohna flat allotment, draw likely to be nixed

A departmental inquiry conducted by a committee revealed that only 2,200 applicants who had listed Sohna as their address were considered in the draw, while others were excluded due to the software error. Of these, 708 were declared successful. The glitch resulted in the exclusion of thousands of eligible applicants from other locations, violating the affordable housing policy, which does not allow preferential treatment based on residency, officials said.

A senior DTCP official confirmed that the faulty draw is likely to be cancelled, but the department is awaiting directions from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “We have submitted a reply in the court, and since the matter is sub judice, it would not be appropriate to comment further. However, only 2,200 applicants were considered due to the glitch,” the official added.

One of the applicants affected by the issue approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking intervention. In its response to the court, DTCP acknowledged that the software malfunction may have deprived many eligible applicants of a fair chance at allotment. Officials noted that the affordable housing policy does not prioritise residents of a specific town and that the glitch led to an unfair process.

To prevent future occurrences, DTCP has initiated a technical audit of the software portal and has halted other upcoming draws until the system is rectified. “Two scheduled draws for affordable housing projects have been put on hold to ensure transparency in allotment,” another official added.

On February 18, director of Town and Country Planning, Amit Khatri, ordered a halt to the allotment process and initiated an inquiry into the e-draw system. The Chief Town Planner (IT&M) was tasked with submitting a report within 10 days. The affordable housing policy, launched by the Haryana government in 2016, allows private developers to construct and sell affordable housing units at government-fixed prices, currently ranging between ₹30 lakh and ₹35 lakh.

In his order, Khatri noted that the e-draw for Licence No. 235 of 2023, Sector-36, Sohna, was conducted on January 27, 2025, for 51,586 shortlisted applicants. However, the results showed that only applicants from Sohna town were selected, despite the policy not specifying any geographic preference.

As a precaution, DTCP has also directed the concerned developer to refrain from demanding further payments from the successful applicants until a final decision is made on the cancellation of the draw.