The Hindu        11.09.2014

Slump in sale of DDA forms due to Shraadh

The initial crunch and rush for application forms for the Delhi Development Authority Housing Scheme-2014 has eased a bit.

The average sale of forms has come down from one lakh per day since the scheme was launched on September 1 to 75,000 now. There were no queues for forms at the DDA office on Wednesday, and every now and then, three to four people came, purchased the forms and left. The rush and the wait was missing.

The slump in sales of forms is primarily due to the beginning of Pitr Paksha or Shraadh — a period of 15 days during which people remember their ancestors and pray for their souls.

Also available at banks

Another reason for reduced sales from the DDA office counters was that the forms are available at banks once again. Last week, people had complained of non-availability of forms with the 13 empanelled banks.

The DDA had then said it has sent forms for re-printing and the same will be made available to the banks by the beginning of this week.

Pitr Paksha began on September 8 and will end on September 23. This time period is not considered auspicious and most people avoid starting a new venture or performing anything auspicious during this time.

North-West Delhi resident Renu Gupta had come to the DDA office here to pick up a few forms, but changed her mind after a family member called her up and asked to wait till September 23. She said she will not mind waiting for the navratras to purchase the forms.

There were also people like Ajay from R.K. Puram, who had purchased the forms before September 8. The forms are filled and ready for submission, but he will wait for the Pitr Paksha to end before submitting them.

A total of seven lakh forms have been sold so far.

On Wednesday, a total of 75,000 forms were sold. Of these, 15,000 were sold from the DDA office at Vikas Sadan, while 60,000 were sold at various empanelled banks. The scheme has 25,034 flats for sale.