Last day rush for DDA houses

Over a lakh forms were sold on the last day of filing applications for the Delhi Development Authority 2008 Housing Scheme.

The great rush for affordable housing in the Capital reached a crescendo on Tuesday.

HT Image

Over a lakh forms were sold on the last day of filing applications for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) 2008 Housing Scheme.

Overall, the DDA has sold 8.64 lakh applications, just for 5,010 houses. This means 173 applicants chasing one flat. Besides, another four lakh forms have been downloaded from the DDA website.

This means 173 applicants chasing one flat. Besides, another four lakh forms have been downloaded from the DDA website. “We do not know how many of the downloaded forms have been submitted. The exact figures of applications accepted by the DDA, which will be eligible for draw will be available by Thursday,” said Neemo Dhar, DDA spokesperson.

“We have some rough estimates that till afternoon some 3.5 lakh forms have been submitted at different banks authorised by the DDA to collect forms,” she added.

People from all walks of life were seen queuing up to submit forms at bank counters across the city and the DDA headquarters in Vikas Sadan.

The hope of owning an affordable house is the reason that bought 75-year-old JB Rai all the way from Patna to Delhi.

Rai, a retired government servant, came to know of the DDA Housing Scheme from his relatives in Delhi and decided to apply.

“Even after working all these year I could not afford to buy a house. So when I was told that some 5000 flats are being sold and the prices starts from just above Rs 7 lakh I decided to try my luck. That’s why I am here today to submit my form,” said Rai standing outside a bank counter at DDA headquarter at Vikas Sadan.

At another counter in Vikas Sadan, Sushma Kapur, a small time entrepreneur from Gole Market was seen making last minute changes in her application form as officials had found some discrepancy.

“I did not get time to submit the form earlier. I just hope I am able to submit the form on time. They are the only flats I can afford,” she said.

K.C. Batra, 75 and his wife Subhadra Batra came from Karol Bagh. “We have saved some money in public provident fund. If we get lucky at the draw we

will be using that money to buy a flat,” said Batra.