Haryana Government Probes Affordable Housing Controversy

The Haryana government is investigating a major issue regarding an affordable housing project in Sector 36, Sohna. A recent draw, conducted on January 27, allocated all 708 flats to applicants from Sohna town alone, despite the fact that over 51,500 people from various areas had applied. This incident has raised serious concerns about the fairness and transparency of the allotment process.

As per the Affordable Housing Policy 2013, housing projects under this scheme should not favor applicants from any specific town. However, in this case, every selected individual was from Sohna, making it clear that something went wrong. This discrepancy was flagged by a senior town planner from Gurugram, prompting the government to step in and investigate the matter.

To look into this issue, a four-member committee has been formed. This committee includes senior officials such as the chief town planner (IT&M), senior town planners from different departments, and a project manager from the IT headquarters. Their primary job is to scrutinize the e-draw system used for the allotments and determine whether this happened due to a technical glitch, administrative error, or deliberate manipulation.

Until the investigation is completed, the allotments have been put on hold. The committee has been asked to examine the draw mechanism, review the portal, and submit a report within ten days. If irregularities are found, the government may take strict action against those responsible. The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has also issued orders to cancel the existing allotments and conduct a fresh draw that follows the policy guidelines correctly.

Meanwhile, homebuyers who had applied for the project are deeply concerned. Many of them had hoped for a fair chance at securing a home but now feel that the system is unfair. Reshma, a resident of Delhi who applied for a flat, expressed her disappointment, saying she had applied hoping for a fair chance, but now it seems like the system was rigged. She questioned how all selected applicants could be from Sohna despite thousands of others applying from across Delhi-NCR. Similarly, Arvind Kumar, another applicant, stated that affordable housing should be accessible to everyone, not just people from a particular town. He urged the government to take strict action and improve the e-draw system to prevent such issues in the future.

Government’s Response and Next Steps

According to Amit Khatri, Director of Town and Country Planning, the entire allotment process for this project has been canceled, and officials have been instructed to conduct a fresh draw. Additionally, a test run of the e-draw software will be carried out to check whether it functions properly as per government norms.

This case has raised concerns about transparency in the affordable housing allocation process. To restore faith in the system, the government must ensure that future draws are conducted fairly and in line with established policies. For now, applicants can only wait and hope for a fair resolution.