By IANS,
New Delhi : Anxiety, anger, sadness and happiness – emotions changed by the minute on the faces of a sea of applicants as the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) Tuesday drew lots for allotting over 5,000 flats under its Housing Scheme 2008.
The draw of lots for 5,238 flats was held at the DDA office at Vikas Sadan in the presence of four judges, who belonged to different professions. The one, two and three bedroom flats cost between Rs.700,000 and Rs.7.7 million.
Nearly 250 applicants were present inside the conference room where a lottery to select the allottees was being conducted while hundreds more waited outside. The process, which started around 12 noon took just 28 minutes to complete.
At around 2:30 p.m., DDA officials started pasting the list of the allottees and the crowds rushed into the office to check if their number figured in the list.
The succesfull applicants were all smiles.
One such applicant who beamed with joy was Sunil Khatri, who at present lives in the Palam area, and had applied for a flat under physically handicapped category. He checked his number several times before he could believe that he had been successful.
“I am very happy and am still not able to believe that I have got a flat,” Khatri, who got a single bedroom flat in Lok Nayak Puram, told IANS.
Another applicant whose happiness knew no bounds was Susheel Kumar Sharma, an employee of Reliance, currently staying with his wife and son in rented accommodation in Palam area.
“I am so happy that I cannot even explain it. I never knew that I am so lucky. My son is lucky for me and it is because of him that I have got a flat,” said Sharma, who got a two bedroom flat in Vasant Kunj area.
Asif Khan, another successful applicant, broke into tears of joy as soon as he saw his number on the list pasted near the reception at the DDA office.
“The first person I called was my boss as he was the one who supported me throughout,” Khan told IANS. Working with a computer firm, he lives in rented houses with his family in Vasant Kunj area.
Sushil Kumar Meena, involved in home furnishing business, got a flat in Rohini area. “This was the first time I applied for a flat and I got it. I am extremely happy,” he said.
While the draw was being held, some people held a protest at the DDA office, alleging the whole process was unfair.
“The DDA has told us that it will put a huge screen outside the office premises for applicants to watch the lottery process but no arrangements have been made,” said Vidhi Sharma, an advocate.
“DDA is hand in gloves with others,” said Atul Shukla, a professor in a government college.
“It took 28 minutes to complete the lottery process and select names of 5,238 successful applicants out of 566,906,” said DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar.
The results were uploaded on the DDA website www.dda.org.in. However, the site became very slow as thousands of people went online to check if they have been allotted the flat of their choice.
According to Dhar, the successful applicants will receive an official letter from the DDA by Dec 30.
“The successful applicants have to deposit the money within two months and there will be some more time as grace period. But no one would be entertained after that and the allotment would be cancelled,” Dhar said.
Asked if the DDA is planning to bring any new housing scheme, she said: “Around 14,000 flats are under various stages of construction in different parts of the city. As and when they will be ready, we will announce the scheme.”
The flats, which are being allotted right now, are in different parts of city, including Rohini, Dwarka, Vasant Kunj, Motia Khan, Narela, Pitampura, Pashchim Vihar, Shalimar Bagh, Dilshad Garden and Lok Nayak Puram. The DDA offered similar schemes in the past also.