DDA allottees plan protest; scrap draw, say failed applicants

NEW DELHI: With DDA hinting at indefinite delay in handing over flats after the controversy over its housing scheme, successful applicants will stage a protest here tomorrow demanding early possession and justice to the "genuine" candidates.

A large number of allottees of DDA Housing Scheme 2008, who argue that they had applied through genuine papers, have appealed to the Union Urban Development Ministry and the agency not to "penalise" them for the acts of some persons who indulged in fraudulent activities.

The harried allottees have formed the 'DDA Housing Scheme 2008 Allottees' Association' to press their demand of timely handover of the flats. They will stage a protest at the DDA headquarters here in support of their demands.

"Most allottees of this scheme are genuine. There may be some bogus applicants among over 5,000 allottees. While we demand stringent action against such crooks, we also demand DDA not to delay in handing over flats to genuine candidates," association's coordinator Suresh Kumar said.

The allottees have opposed Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Makan's statement that the whole draw may be scrapped if large-scale irregularities were found.

"If even one per cent of the allottees have got the flats through fair means, cancellation would mean violation of their natural rights," said Ghulam Nabi, a successful applicant.

However, the 'DDA Flat Applicants Association', a body representing the unsuccessful candidates, have demanded immediate cancellation of the draw and winding up of the DDA, which they allege has become "synonymous to corruption".