DDA allots Rs 10 lakh for building repairs

It has taken 44 long years, but the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finally woken up from its slumber.

It has taken 44 long years, but the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finally woken up from its slumber.

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The agency has finally allocated funds — a one time payment of Rs 10 lakh — for the repair of all buildings that it has constructed in the last 44 years.

Getting a DDA flat allotted in their name is a dream come true for most Delhiites — for whom this is a good opportunity to buy a house at an affordable price in the Capital.

For those living in these flats, however, the experience is a nightmare — especially if the building is more than a decade old.

Once it sells a flat and the allottee takes possession, DDA simply washes its hands of the area and moves on to the next housing scheme. The new owners of these flats have to fend for themselves and the repair, renovation or reincarnation of the flats depends on their financial expediency.

In a series of reports carried between February 22 and 26, 2010, Hindustan Times had highlighted the crumbling condition of these buildings and the apathy of DDA towards them.

Though the interiors and in most cases the façade of these flats look in the pink of health, but the true condition is visible in the dark staircases and toilet shafts. These areas of common use are no one’s baby. This is because DDA has simply assumed residents will sort out trivial issues such as maintenance of common areas themselves.

Back then, DDA had told HT that once the allottees take possession of their flats, the maintenance of the buildings was not their responsibility. Residents are expected to form associations, which take care of common use areas like staircases.

Truth is such seemingly trivial issues such as crumbling staircases, leaking pipes and seeping walls lead to bad blood and regular fights between neighbours. No one wants to spend money for the part of the building used by everyone and in many cases not all stakeholders in the building want to share the expenses.

Taking note of the series, DDA was directed by the Lt Governor of Delhi , Tejendra Khanna, who is also the DDA chairman, in March 2010 to repair and upgrade the buildings.

Two years after the order, DDA has decided to make a one time payment of R10 lakh for maintenance of common areas for each block of 100 flats in all housing societies.

Thanks to the series of reports in HT, DDA also brought in a new policy, according to which it will now take care of maintenance of flats allotted by it for 30 years.

The decision on older DDA colonies, however, was pending till now. The policy on future maintenance of old residential buildings, some of which are more than 40 years old, will be created in the next few months, a senior DDA official said.