Citizens' body may move court over housing project

Three years after the Haryana government launched a scheme to build affordable houses in the city spread across 200 acres of land, the Gurgaon Citizen Council (GCC) has threatened to move court over non-implementation of the policy.

Three years after the Haryana government launched a scheme to build affordable houses in the city spread across 200 acres of land, the Gurgaon Citizen Council (GCC) has threatened to move court over non-implementation of the policy.

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The GCC has given the government time till November-end to reveal the names of the developers who were awarded licences along with the project locations.

In 2009, the government had earmarked land in various sectors of the city to construct nearly 40,000 houses, priced between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 16 lakh.

Several builders had also applied for licences to develop the units with an area of 270 square feet and 520 square feet.

"The policy was notified on May 5, 2009, but no houses have been built to date. We have asked the government to show us how many builders had been granted licences and where they are developing these projects in Gurgaon. We suspect the builders have misused the policy by using the land for other purposes," said TN Kaul, general secretary, GCC.

"We have sought an explanation twice but the state government has not been able to answer our queries," said RS Rathee, GCC president. The council had also raised the issue with the Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda recently.

Even senior officials in the town planning department have bene unable to clear the air.

When asked about the policy, senior town planner (STP) Gurgaon, RK Singh, said, "The government granted licences to at least five reputed builders and their projects are underway. But I cannot tell you about their locations."

Contrary to the STP's claim, however, the town planning department's website shows details of projects spread across a meager 21 acres out of the total 200 (11.26 acre at Sector 67 and 10.06 acre at Sector 93).

GCC is a non-profit organization that works towards promoting development works in the city. Registered residents' welfare associations (RWAs), apartment associations, mercantile associations of commercial complexes, village panchayats and residents can become part of the council.