HSVP to repair, not demolish, 1,088 Sector 47 EWS flats

HSVP will repair and allot 1,088 EWS flats in Sector 47, reversing plans for demolition, following a complaint from a local activist.

The Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) will soon repair and allot 1,088 economically weaker section (EWS) flats in Sector 47, reversing its earlier decision to demolish them, the authority has said in a reply to a complaint filed by a city-based activist.

The flats were constructed on 14 acres at a cost of about ₹41.73 crore. (HT Photo)

The repair work has been estimated to cost ₹6.83 crore, and tenders have been floated, HSVP officials said. “Bidders can apply till August 20,” the authority noted in its reply dated August 7.

The clarification came in response to a complaint filed by Gurugram-based lawyer Abhay Jain on the CM Window and PM Window. “I had sent a complaint to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Haryana on 11 June 2024 regarding this matter. Strict cognisance has been taken by the PMO on his complaint. Answers were sought from the concerned officials. It has been decided that these flats will not be demolished,” Jain said in a statement on Monday.

The HSVP said in its reply, “In this regard, it is intimated that there is no higher authority direction to demolish the Ashiana flats situated in Sector-47, Gurugram. However, it is submitted that the rough cost estimates for special repair of these flats have been approved, and work will be carried out after allotment.” The matter, it added, is also sub judice.

Built under the Ashiana scheme 15 years ago, the flats were constructed on 14 acres at a cost of about ₹41.73 crore. Initially meant for residents whose houses were to be demolished for development work, they were later earmarked for allotment to the below poverty line (BPL) category. HSVP received around 1,100 applications, but allotments stalled due to eligibility issues, rule changes, and litigation.

In 2022, the authority decided to demolish the Sector-47 flats, monetise the land for commercial or residential use, and build replacement EWS housing in Sector 9. That plan, however, failed to take off, and the condition of the Sector-47 units deteriorated.

Last year, HSVP reiterated its intent to raze the buildings, prompting opposition from activists. The latest decision to retain and repair the flats marks a significant policy reversal.