FHSD demands DDA to implement old pooling policy

New Delhi, June 21

Alleging breach of trust by making arbitrary changes in the land pooling policy under the Master Plan of Delhi – 2021, the Federation of Housing Societies and Developers (FHSD) in Delhi today demanded for implementation of old land pooling policy notified in 2013.

The new land pooling policy will deprive thousands of middle class people of affordable housing as floor area ration (FAR) has been reduced in the new policy that will increase cost of flats.

The federation which held a day-long dharna and demonstration also demanded rollback of proposed modified land pooling policy.

The policy was notified by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on September 5, 2013, and thereafter, the regulation for implementing the policy was proposed on May 26, 2015. But now the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has proposed a modified policy which will have drastic consequences as it will make getting homes of out of reach of common man, said Satish Kumar Aggarwal, secretary of the FHSD.

He said the proposed modified policy would also deprive farmers of monetary benefits who have sold their land for the housing development. The FAR has been reduced in the proposed modified policy.

Aggarwal said the changes in policy were aimed at benefiting large developers and builders by sidelining cooperative housing societies. “It is a nexus between the DDA and big builders to deprive cooperative societies to get affordable homes,” he said.

He said by reducing the FAR, making one time payment of external development charges mandatory and making provision of consortium necessary, the DDA has ruined the policy. — TNS