Scheme not publicised, govt cancels EWS flat allotment

The town and country planning department (T&CP) has cancelled allotment of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) flats in Sector 28 due to violations by private developers. But builders are still unaware of the issue.

The town and country planning department (T&CP) has cancelled allotment of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) flats in Sector 28 due to violations by private developers. But builders are still unaware of the issue.

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The draw of lots for allotment of EWS flats in Ansal API Sushant Lok, Sector 28, was not properly publicised by the developer, so most people didn’t know about it. The draw of lots was to be held on Monday.

Deputy commissioner PC Meena noticed that the scheme was not being advertised properly, and brought it to the notice of the T&CP department.

Meena was also asked by the department to send a representative for the draw of lots. But he discovered that only 23 applications were received against 25 EWS flats, and sensed something amiss.

The cost of a flat with a minimum area of 200 sqft is R1.5 lakh. Similarly, the rate of an EWS plot measuring 50 sq yard is R500 per sq yard. These rates for Gurgaon are so economical that many people would have applied. Add to this the fact that the number of BPL families in Gurgaon is also high.

However, even people from economically weaker sections of society from other districts were also eligible to apply for the Sector 28 flats.

Despite these factors, very few people had applied. Upon digging deeper, Meena found that Ansal API advertised the draw of lots only in the supplementary editions of Dainik Bhaskar in Ambala and Faridabad.

Meena said the government has made it mandatory for developers to build and provide flats to EWS people at subsidised rates.

“This condition is clearly mentioned in the license issued to the developer. The developer must advertise the scheme in a leading English national daily and two regional newspapers having a circulation of over 10,000 copies in the district where the scheme is floated,” said Meena.