Mumbai: The Konkan Housing and Area Development Board, a regional unit of MHADA, has received lukewarm response to the online lottery for 12,626 housing units in housing schemes across Thane city and district, Kalyan, Titwala, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg’s Oras, Vengurla, and Malvan. The Board is now contemplating extending the deadline, if needed. The last date to receive the applications is December 10, 2024.
The Board received only 10,015 applications till November 27, 2024 while 3,211 people paid the required EMD for the registration and application process for the sale of housing units announced on October 11, 2024. Through this lottery, MHADA has made 10,428 flats available for the economically weaker section, 1,981 flats for the low-income group, 85 flats for the middle-income group, and 132 flats for the high-income group.
Reacting to the lesser response to the lottery, a senior MHADA official said, “Due to the election Code of Conduct, our outreach efforts for the sale of flats was limited, resulting in a lower response than anticipated. To ensure maximum participation, we are planning an extensive advertising campaign and hope to receive a better response. If required, we will extend the last date.”
Stating that the prices at which MHADA is selling the housing units are much higher as compared to private developers, Adv Vinod Sampat, President of Cooperative Societies Users Association said, “The rate depends on the quality of amenities being provided as we all know, the amenities available at MHADA flats are not that good. Besides, there are restrictions as regards sale of land in MHADA property after a few years and also the location of property is not good. This is adding to the disinterest among people in going for this lottery.”
Deliberating on the lukewarm response received by MHADA, Nitin Singhal, CMD, Absolute Group said, “Many micro-markets like Kalyan, Titwala, and Palghar already have private developers offering budget housing at competitive prices. These options often come with flexible payment terms, modern amenities, and better marketing, making them more appealing than MHADA flats. In regions like Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg, individuals may prefer to build homes on ancestral or cheaper land rather than purchase government flats. This is especially true for those who don’t see immediate economic benefits in staying in MHADA-developed properties.”
The EMD deposit can be paid online until December 11, 2024. A provisional list of eligible applicants will be published on December 18, 2024, with the final list released on December 24, 2024 while the computerized lottery will be held on December 27, 2024.
