870 houses, worth Rs 4 lakh eachThe Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will allot about 870 flats meant for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) on Monday through lottery. Since the time MHADA announce the scheme, it drew a tremendous response with over 65,000 people submitting applications for the affordably-priced flats. On Monday, lots would be drawn wherein a little more than one-tenth of the applicants would be allotted the flats. “Our lottery system will be completely transparent and it will be conducted using a software certified by the National Industrial Engineering Institute. Those selected, will have to submit necessary documents within 15 days. If they are found to be ineligible for some reason, the flat will go to the next person on the waiting list,” said H K Javale, chief officer of the authority’s Mumbai board. The EWS flats, priced at Rs 4 lakh for a 180 sq-ft apartment, are meant for those drawing a monthly salary between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000. The chairman of MHADA’s Mumbai board, Amarjit Singh Manhas, said another set of newly-constructed flats in low, middle and high income group colonies would be released by January next. By March next year, the board will complete its ongoing projects in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Dahisar, Chandivli and Sion. These are in addition to the already completed projects in Ghatkopar and Goregaon, while the HIG colony in Versova would create a stock of 3,561 affordable flats in Mumbai by the next year. “We are also hoping to generate much more housing stock once the policy for granting 2.5 Floor Space Index (FSI) for redevelopment of the MHADA colonies gets final approval from state government,” said Manhas. At present, there are 1.16 lakh rooms across 56 MHADA colonies in the city. If the proposal is passed, private developers involved in the redevelopment process can use 50% of the rehabilitation area as their sale component. The extra flats through the increased FSI will have to be handed over to MHADA for public housing.
