Pay 1-3% extra for choice of flat in Delhi development authority localities

NEW DELHI: Landing a Delhi Development Authority (DDA) flat is nothing less than winning a lottery, more so if you get a flat in an area of your choice. While applicants can mark three preferred locations, they cannot pick a particular one. DDA’s Housing Scheme 2020, however, could be a first in this regard.

Sources said DDA plans to launch its latest housing scheme in December. On offer would be nearly 1,000 flats for high and middle-income groups. For the first time, applicants would be able to opt for a flat on a floor of their choice, corner location or facing green areas or the main road. If the applicants manage to get such a flat in the housing scheme’s draw of lots, they would have to pay extra for the location.

In a meeting held through videoconferencing and chaired by LG Anil Baijal on Tuesday, it was decided to allow applicants to opt for flats of their choice. “DDA has taken the decision to give applicants this option on modest preferential location charges. This will be based on the unit’s floor, corner, facing green area or the main road. No such charges will be levied for allotment of ground or preferred floor to persons with disabilities,” a DDA spokesperson said.

According to sources, those opting for a ground floor flat would have to pay an extra 3% of the total cost, flats on the first floor or facing green areas would cost 2.5% more, while 1.5% extra would be levied for a second floor flat.

DDA also took a decision for making Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana financially viable and feasible, ensuring that in situ slum redevelopment projects were developed in a shorter period.

“Master Plan of Delhi 2021 provides for a minimum 60% residential component of the land area for rehabilitation of squatters and maximum area for remunerative use to be 40%,” said the spokesperson, adding that the remunerative component could only be developed as per the land use and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) permissible under that category.

The official said, “The approved proposal shall allow a maximum FAR of 300 on the remunerative component with a flexible mix of uses irrespective of the land use of the said pocket. This will pave the way for development of slum clusters and help in achieving the goal of Housing for All in Delhi.”

The approved proposal will now be sent to Union ministry of housing and urban affairs for final notification.

The authority also approved the change of land use of an area measuring 8,094 square metres at Integrated Freight Complex, Ghazipur from commercial to utility to facilitate setting up of a waste processing plant to be built by South Delhi Municipal Corporation. DDA also gave its nod to auction of group housing plots to ensure more transparency in the process.