Turned up to witness draw, barred

NEW DELHI: Raj Malhotra and Diwan Chand from Haryana had applied for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) housing scheme and travelled overnight to make it to Noida in time for the draw of lots on Monday morning. But it was all in vain as they were not allowed inside the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) office, where the draw of lots was being held.
Many more applicants had turned up outside C-DAC office – after taking a half-day from work – only to be told that they would not be allowed inside.The agitated applicants claimed that DDA had said that they would at least be able to view the process live on a big-screen TV, which also did not happen and most of them questioned the transparency of the system.
“Around 50 people from Karnal have applied for flats under the DDA scheme. Everyone wants to live in the capital. We travelled overnight from Karnal to be able to make it to Noida in time for the draw of lots. All our friends had given their application numbers to us to see if they had been allotted a flat. But once we reached here, we discovered that not only would we not be allowed inside, but there was no big-screen TV where we could watch the entire process live. We feel cheated. This shows the lack of transparency of the system. DDA should have made it clear that there would be no arrangements made for applicants. We wouldn’t have wasted our time and energy like this,” said Malhotra, who said he deals in property.
DDA said that while the draw of lots was carried out from the basement of the building, the TV screen was put up in the conference hall which did not have space for more than 25 people. Only a few mediapersons were allowed to enter the premises before noon.
Both Malhotra and Diwan Chand also claimed that they did not even know if their application had qualified for the draw of lots. “While the list of applicants for verification was put up by DDA, we could not find our application numbers on the list,” said Diwan Chand.
S P Pandey said that after the housing scheme scam in 2008, DDA should have ensured more transparency in the system by ensuring that it could be viewed live by everyone. “My son had applied for the flat under the scheme and I had come to view the process. But it seems that no arrangements have been made by DDA for applicants. No one is willing to talk on this issue also,” said Pandey, who is an advocate.
Archana Upadhyay had come with her four-year-old son Viraj, to take a look at the allotments. “I have come to see my flat,” said Viraj, even as his parents waited outside the C-DAC office with no information on what was happening inside.
Praveen Sawhney had applied for a one-room house and had come to the C-DAC office after taking a half day. “It is very disappointing. My day has been wasted. I will now go back to office as I work in Noida phase-III. I didn’t even eat anything in the morning and came straight here with my friends. I live on rent with my mother, sister and two children and dream of owning a house of my own,” said Sawhney.