After releasing 972 homes last year, space-crunched state housing authority will only give away 650 houses in the lottery system this year; no homes for economically backward
Participants of the lottery system throng a MHADA centre to check for their names after the winners are announced. The system has helped many people, who can't afford to buy homes in the city. File pic
Reeling under space crunch, the state's housing authority has decided to cut back the number of affordable homes being allotted to Mumbaikars through the lottery system. After giving away 972 homes last year, Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority has only put forward 650 homes for sale this year, an official confirmed.
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While refusing to reveal why MHADA had decided to distribute fewer homes this year, a senior official said, "Our aim has always been to release as many houses as possible. This year though, the houses that are being given away are 35 per cent fewer than last year."
Another official, on condition of anonymity, pointed to the issue of lack of space in the city. "MHADA has very little vacant space left. Most of the MHADA plots have been encroached upon and vacating them is a difficult task. At some places, construction of houses is also still in progress and hence, they could not be included in this year's lottery."
MHADA's lottery system has helped benefit several Mumbaikars, especially those from the economically weaker sections (EWS) of society, who want to own homes in the city. However, if news of fewer homes going up on sale wasn't bad enough, the housing authority has also decided against releasing any homes in the EWS category this year.
Of the 650 houses that will be allotted through the lottery system, 95 per cent of the houses will be for the lower-income group and middle-income group categories, an official said. Advertisements for the lottery will be out by May 31.
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