MUMBAI: Thousands of eager MHADA homebuyers are left waiting as the housing authority has yet to announce the date for its highly anticipated lottery draw. The postponement is not due to a technical issue but rather a challenge in securing a chief guest.
As per sources from Mumbai Mirror, the uncertainty is primarily due to the availability of senior political figures, with no confirmations received from their offices regarding their schedules.
MHADA aims to have either the Chief Minister, a Deputy Chief Minister, or the Minister of State for Housing as the event’s chief guest. “However, their busy political schedules have made it difficult for us to set a date,” a source commented.
The MHADA Mumbai Lottery has experienced multiple extensions and delays, pushing the draw date back by weeks.
Initially, the application deadline was extended from mid-April to May 14 to give homebuyers more time to register and pay the earnest money deposit (EMD). On May 13, just one day before the new deadline, the application window was extended once again to May 28 due to lower-than-expected EMD payments and concerns over high property prices.
The computerized lottery draw was originally slated for June 5 but was postponed to June 30, which also did not take place.
Currently, the lottery remains in an indefinite state of delay, awaiting schedule approval from the state government.
Confirming the situation, an IAS officer at MHADA noted that the disruption began with the model code of conduct during the recently concluded MLC elections and continued through the Monsoon Session of the Maharashtra Legislature.
Now that the legislative session has ended, MHADA is intensifying efforts to secure a chief guest but is still waiting for confirmations from political leaders.
“We’ve reached out to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and Minister of State, but everyone is currently busy with official obligations, preventing us from finalizing the lottery date,” the officer explained.
The prolonged uncertainty has heightened anxiety among numerous applicants, many of whom are checking the MHADA website daily for updates.
However, the officer assured that applicants wouldn’t have to wait much longer.
“Even if the ministers remain unavailable, we will announce the lottery date this week or next. If needed, MHADA Vice President and CEO Sanjeev Jaiswal will serve as the chief guest. This lottery is significant as we are offering 2,640 apartments across Mumbai,” the officer added.
The lottery encompasses all income categories, including economically weaker sections, low-income groups, middle-income groups, and high-income groups (HIG).
This year’s draw features flats in various locations, including Dadar, Tardeo, Wadala, Goregaon, Borivali, Gorai, Bandra, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar, Chembur, and Powai.
Anxious homebuyers
“I applied for two HIG flats, resulting in an earnest money deposit of ₹1.5 lakh for each application, totaling ₹3 lakh of my funds tied up with MHADA since the EMD deadline on May 29, with no clarity on the lottery date,” shared an applicant wishing to remain anonymous.
“Over 70,000 applicants have submitted EMDs, meaning hundreds of crores of rupees are held by MHADA, yet there is no tentative lottery date or explanation for the delays,” the applicant continued.
“In previous lotteries, the draw typically happened within a week or two after the final application list was released. This time the final list came out on June 16, and applicants are still waiting for any communication or timeline. There has been no official announcement,” the applicant added.
“For many, ₹1.5 lakh or ₹3 lakh is a significant amount—money earmarked for down payments, emergencies, or years of savings. It is unacceptable for such large sums to remain locked indefinitely without explanation. We have complied with all requirements and deadlines set by MHADA. We deserve a clear explanation for the delays and a definitive timeline for the lottery,” expressed another homebuyer.
