Ludhiana Improvement Trust puts off draw of lots due to poll code

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, January 9

Draw of lots for allotment of flats in much-touted first high-rise residential scheme of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), Atal Apartments, has run into trouble once again with the election model code of conduct having come into force from January 8 with the announcement of schedule of the Assembly elections by the Election Commission of India on Saturday.

Scheme ‘jinxed’

• The scheme has a chequered history. It was first launched way back in 2011 when the then Local Bodies Minister, Tikshan Sood, had laid the foundation stone for the project for construction of 450 flats.
• However, the scheme was dropped in 2017 with the change of government and was once again floated in 2018 but was dropped due to poor response from buyers.
• Now recently, the scheme was re-launched with a revised design, revised prices of the flats and Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi had laid the foundation for the project last month.

The draw of lots for allotment of 576 HIG and MIG flats, scheduled to be held on January 10 at Nehru Sidhant Kendra has been postponed, confirmed LIT officials.

“As all arrangements for the draw of lot for allotments of flats had already been made, the matter is now being taken up with the Department of Local Government, Punjab, to seek permission from the Election Commission for conducting the draw. Accordingly, the new schedule, depending on the response of the Election Commission, will be intimated to applicants and also announced though a public notice,” the officials added.

The housing complex, proposed to be set up in over 8 acres of land in Shaheed Karnail Singh Nagar on Pakhowal Road, would have provision for total 576 flats (336 HIG and 240 MIG) for which the Trust had received 1,018 applications (854 in HIG and 164 in MIG category).