HIMUDA in a soup over failed Himachal housing projects

Shimla: Unable to meet the huge demand for housing, the newly elected Congress government here is all set to initiate a probe into the many land deals of HP Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) in the past five years of BJP regime.

Media reports cited that the state run real estate developer entered into deals for purchase of 300 bighas of land for building apartments and plots.

The organization two years ago had received 70,000 applications for a demand survey that had been floated and had also collected about Rs 36 Cr as advance under the account.

Of the total applicants, about 62000 had applied for flats and over 7000 had advanced Rs 5000 each for booking plots.

However, must to the disappointment of the applicants, HIMUDA had been unable to layout plans or provide house enabling facilities to a single applicant thus far.

Sources state that land for housing projects stand acquired at four sites, which includes 150 bighas at Solan, 50 bighas at Mogin in Sirmaur district, 11 bighas at Trilokpur and 35 bighas at Dharampur.

The housing developer had obtained deposit on the condition that should it be unable to meet the housing demand or be unable to refund the amount deposited with the demand survey application beyond a years holding, interest would be paid on the amount held. However, no such interest has been paid so far nor have the applicants money been returned despite the delay.

Despite the issue figuring prominently in the state assembly, the government had failed to satisfy irate opposition members about the state fraud having been played out.

Sources maintained that the Congress government was having a re-look at land allegedly having been purchased at inflated rates from a real estate group that had itself acquired the property at a much lesser price. A probe is expected to bring out many skeletons tumbling from the state housing developer’s cupboard.