Distressed at DDA's failure to meet housing needs: Parliamentary panel

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel has asked Delhi Development Authority ( DDA) to finalise its land pooling policy and involve the private sector and cooperative group housing societies in meeting housing needs in the national capital.

Expressing concern that DDA was struggling to meet housing needs in the national capital, the Standing Committee on Urban Development, in its 31st report tabled in Parliament today, also said that the agency should set year-wise targets for the construction of affordable houses.

In its report, the committee said that as per the Master Plan for Delhi (MPD) 2021 - based on a projected population of 230 lakh by 2021 - has estimated an additional housing stock requirement of about 24 lakh dwelling units.

"It has been emphasised that 40 per cent of housing needs can be potentially satisfied through redevelopment-upgrade of existing areas of Delhi. The remaining 60 per cent is to be met through 14.4 lakh dwelling units in new areas/urban extension as per zonal development plan- 2021.

"However, the committee is distressed to note that till date, DDA has been able to raise only 11.69 lakh dwelling units," the report said.

The committee further added that it is "distressed to note that DDA has failed miserably to play the role of facilitator/provider for meeting the housing needs after 56 years of its existence".

It recommended that DDA should set year-wise targets for construction of affordable houses and adopt a multi-pronged strategy to achieve the same.

It also said that DDA should finalise the land pooling policy at the earliest and involve the private sector and cooperative group housing societies that they may extend a helping hand to it.