New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is being accused of failing to maintain transparency during Monday's draw of lots for new housing units in the city.
On offer in what was billed New Delhi's biggest lottery were 16,118 flats of various sizes ranging from one-room units to three-bedroom flats spread across 10 locations. In all, there were 755,075 applicants who had to wait for nearly four months to know if their dream to own a house in the city would be fulfilled.
The DDA, which owns all land in the city, for reasons best known to itself, decided to hold the draw of lots at the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) in neighbouring Noida on the plea that its South Delhi-based headquarters lacked the requisite IT facilities to handle the computerised draw.
Two battalions of provincial armed constabularies (PAC) were deployed around the C-DAC building to ensure applicants did not gain entry into the building.
The draw was conducted inside a closed room while some hand-picked journalists were allowed to witness it on the screen in an adjoining room.
While the DDA claims the presence of independent observers and DDA officials, the manner in which the draw was held is shrouded in secrecy.
Those who failed to get lucky have accused the DDA of irregularities.
"The least they could have done was to put up some big screens outside the building to enable the applicants to see the actual process, if not televise it live," said Mohan Chander, a migrant who has been living in rented accommodation in East Delhi for over 15 years.
Incidentally, the DDA has always been accused of manipulating draws in the past. Despite poor designs and construction, the demand for DDA flats is huge owing to the fact that it is the only government-owned agency offering housing units at affordable prices in the land-starved city.
Website crash
What made matters even worse was the fact that the DDA's website crashed, unable to take the load as applicants logged in to find out their fate.
They had to wait until yesterday morning — after the government agency published results in all major newspapers.
"I strongly suspect [that] the draw was manipulated to favour the chosen few, otherwise what can justify the secrecy that the DDA maintained? The public have been taken for a ride," said disappointed Sunita Tiwari, a young lawyer whose dream of owning her own house in the city ended on a sad note.
Properties on offer
* 16,118 flats of various sizes were at stake.
* The total number of applicants was 755,075.
* Booking closed on December 23 and a draw of lots was held on April 18.
* Among the flats on offer were 663 Janata Flats (one-room dwellings), 11,300 one-bedroom flats, 599 two-bedroom flats, 3,188 three-bedroom flats and 378 expandable villas.
* The DDA is unlikely to announce any new housing scheme in the near future.
On offer in what was billed New Delhi's biggest lottery were 16,118 flats of various sizes ranging from one-room units to three-bedroom flats spread across 10 locations. In all, there were 755,075 applicants who had to wait for nearly four months to know if their dream to own a house in the city would be fulfilled.
The DDA, which owns all land in the city, for reasons best known to itself, decided to hold the draw of lots at the Centre for Development of Advance Computing (C-DAC) in neighbouring Noida on the plea that its South Delhi-based headquarters lacked the requisite IT facilities to handle the computerised draw.
Two battalions of provincial armed constabularies (PAC) were deployed around the C-DAC building to ensure applicants did not gain entry into the building.
The draw was conducted inside a closed room while some hand-picked journalists were allowed to witness it on the screen in an adjoining room.
While the DDA claims the presence of independent observers and DDA officials, the manner in which the draw was held is shrouded in secrecy.
Those who failed to get lucky have accused the DDA of irregularities.
"The least they could have done was to put up some big screens outside the building to enable the applicants to see the actual process, if not televise it live," said Mohan Chander, a migrant who has been living in rented accommodation in East Delhi for over 15 years.
Incidentally, the DDA has always been accused of manipulating draws in the past. Despite poor designs and construction, the demand for DDA flats is huge owing to the fact that it is the only government-owned agency offering housing units at affordable prices in the land-starved city.
Website crash
What made matters even worse was the fact that the DDA's website crashed, unable to take the load as applicants logged in to find out their fate.
They had to wait until yesterday morning — after the government agency published results in all major newspapers.
"I strongly suspect [that] the draw was manipulated to favour the chosen few, otherwise what can justify the secrecy that the DDA maintained? The public have been taken for a ride," said disappointed Sunita Tiwari, a young lawyer whose dream of owning her own house in the city ended on a sad note.
Properties on offer
* 16,118 flats of various sizes were at stake.
* The total number of applicants was 755,075.
* Booking closed on December 23 and a draw of lots was held on April 18.
* Among the flats on offer were 663 Janata Flats (one-room dwellings), 11,300 one-bedroom flats, 599 two-bedroom flats, 3,188 three-bedroom flats and 378 expandable villas.
* The DDA is unlikely to announce any new housing scheme in the near future.
