Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, December 26
Of 1,640 flats constructed under the Ashiana project — low-cost dwelling units constructed by the Haryana Urban Development Authority — 1,300 are yet to be occupied even five years after construction.
The project was started in 2008 in Sectors 33 and 34 of Ambala Cantonment and the construction was completed in 2011 at a cost of Rs 60.47 crore.
When The Tribune team visited the unoccupied dwelling units, the grass was untrimmed, there were termites on the walls and windowpanes were in a bad shape.
Sources said the first allotment was made in 2014 and as many as 200 flats were allotted against 292 applications to jhuggi dwellers, while the second allotment of 134 houses was made in October this year. As many as 339 applications are still pending with the Municipal Corporation for verification and due to incomplete records.
Applications of 1,184 BPL families are also pending, but no flat has been allotted to the BPL applicants yet. As per the policy, the priority was to be given to jhuggi dwellers. The HUDA has sought directions from the higher authorities in context with the applications of BPL applicants.
An official said, “The prime objective of the project was to get the land of HUDA, government and government agencies in various urban estates free from the encroachments made by jhuggi dwellers. The occupants had to pay Rs 3.68 lakh in instalments. But the people who were allotted houses in 2014 have not paid the instalments, while those who were allotted houses in October have not been taking possession.”
He said, “Even after the allotment they are not leaving the encroached land. When a team of HUDA officials reached there to get the land evacuated, they misbehaved with them and an official sustained injuries.”
Sources said the far away location and small size of the flats had been a major reason behind the lower applications and shifting.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Prabhjot Singh said, “Efforts are being made to shift the jhuggi dwellers to the Ashiana flats. The officials have been persuading the people to shift. As many as 134 flats have been allotted recently, while some applications are with the Municipal Corporation for verification. Soon, all flats will be allotted to the eligible applicants.”