GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) recently asked nine group housing developers to complete EWS and LIG flats or face project cancellation. Of the 7,030 EWS units and an equal number of LIG units supposed to be built by the nine developers, only 2,691 EWS units and 2,474 LIG units are ready.
“It is compulsory to construct 10% of total flats in group housing societies in the EWS category and 10% in the LIG category. The GDA sanctions a map only when a developer plans to build these flats within a stipulated time. But many developers have not adhered to their plans,” said GDA additional secretary CP Tripathi.
“Recently, the GDA called a meeting for these erring developers to give a status report for each project and asked them to complete the EWS and LIG flats soon. Failure to comply can lead to project cancellation,” he added.
GDA’s former chief town planner Asheesh Shivpuri said the EWS and LIG flats are for financially weaker sections. “The cost of LIG flats should be around Rs 9 lakh and EWS flats Rs 6 lakh. The area of EWS flats should be from 24-36sqm and LIG flats from 40-60sqm. But many developers are failing to build these flats within three years of map sanction by development authorities,” he said.
“Developers should advertise how many EWS and LIG flats would come up in their projects. Then, beneficiaries can apply for the flats with the GDA. Once the flats are ready, a GDA-constituted committee headed by the GDA vice chairperson and the district magistrate hand the flats over via a lottery system,” added Shivpuri.
“Many of the defaulters are with integrated and hi-tech townships. I understand it is a legacy issue from before the UP-Rera came into existence,” said Credai-NCR secretary Gaurav Gupta. “Earlier, there were ambiguities in the pricing of EWS and LIG flats, partly attributable to policy gaps. Now, the price remains linked with the cost index. With that clarity, I see no reason for developers not to build them. They will not get completion certificates till compliance,” he said.
