GURUGRAM: A proposal to demolish 1,088 EWS flats in Sector 47 has been put on hold, allowing for much-awaited allocations.
The renovation of these flats will be handled by Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), with eligible families set to receive allocations. Originally built in 2010 under the Ashiana scheme for the underprivileged at a cost of Rs 42 crore, these flats have remained unoccupied for 15 years due to procedural delays and disputes regarding beneficiary eligibility.
Previously, HSVP officials noted that identifying qualified applicants was challenging since many lacked necessary documentation or did not fulfill income and residency requirements. Verification processes faced repeated delays, and without a final list of allottees, the units remained vacant.
Following a complaint by advocate Abhay Jain, the decision was made to renovate the apartments instead of demolishing them. HSVP administrator Dr. Chander Shekher Khare confirmed to TOI that Rs 8 crore has been allocated for the renovation of the EWS flats, with allotments set to occur once renovations are complete.
Initially, the plan was to demolish the Sector 47 flats, auction the valuable land for premium housing, and relocate EWS allottees to a five-acre multi-storey facility in Sector 9. Officials defended this move by referencing the high market value of the Sector 47 plot, strategically located near the district centre and with a planned metro station close by, as well as adjacent to a large IKEA mixed-use development. The earlier estate officer commented, “This land, measuring about 18 to 20 acres, is extremely valuable. It will be auctioned for group housing, while EWS allottees will be accommodated in the Sector 9 project.”
Jain’s complaint, which alleged that the demolition plan contradicted the original intent of the Ashiana scheme, was escalated to the Prime Minister’s Office. The PMO requested responses from HSVP officials, leading to the official shelving of the demolition proposal within weeks.
On August 5, HSVP allocated Rs 8.8 crore for special repairs, with a timeline of 150 days for completion. Once restored, the flats will be allocated to beneficiaries as originally intended by the scheme.
