Affordable Housing Projects
Government notify a Policy known as the ‘Affordable Housing Policy2013′. This policy is made to encourage housing Projects where in apartments of predefined size are made available at predefined rates within a targeted time frame to deserving beneficiaries in urban housing market. Any project for which licence is granted under the present policy cannot be converted into a normal group housing colony under any situation and irrespective of whether or not it falls within the 20% residential sector area limit prescribed for group housing projects. Sale of apartments under this Project will be on Carpet Area basis. It means people have to pay for area only for which they actually use.
Grant of License: As per affordable housing policy, the projects would be allowed in residential zones of notified development plans of various towns and cities. The license for such housing projects would be given on a first come first serve basis.
Developers will get Incentives: The affordable housing policy looks to make use of the private sector’s capital investment for the development of affordable homes. The policy envisages to provide incentives to the private developers which includes-
1. Exemption from licence fees and infrastructure development charges
2. Higher floor area ratio (FAR) of upto 225 against 175 which is usually permitted in group housing projects
3. Higher ground coverage to the tune of 50 percent against 35 percent that is normally allowed.
Zoning Requirements: The maximum area for which such projects can be allowed in a development plan included 300 acres for Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panchkula, Panchkula Extension and Pinjore-Kalka, 150 acres for Sonipat, Panipat, Karnal, Dharuhera, Bahadurgarh and Sohna and 75 acres for the rest of the development plans. In any residential sector not more than five per cent of the net planned area under residential zone can be allowed for projects under this policy.
However, if a residential sector has an area of less than 100 acres, one such project would be allowed on five acres. Further, in order to ensure that such projects are well distributed over the development plan area, the maximum net planned area that can be permitted under this policy in any residential sector would be restricted to 10 acres.
Rate of Flat : The maximum allotment rate for the apartment units approved under affordable housing policy would be Rs 4,000 per sq ft of carpet area in the development plans of Gurgaon, Fairdabad, Panchkula and Pinjore-Kalka, Rs 3,600 per sq ft in the development plans of other high and medium potential towns and Rs 3,000 per sq ft in the remaining low potential towns.
Allotment of Flat and Eligibility Criteria: The affordable housing units will be allotted through draw of lots which will be handled by the Deputy Commissioner of the district in which the unit is located. According to the new affordable housing policy of Haryana, anyone who doesn’t own a plot or a house or a flat in any colony of Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), any licenced colony of Chandigarh or the NCR, is considered to be eligible for the scheme.
Time Period for completion of project: All affordable housing projects would be required to be necessarily completed within four years from the approval of building plans or grant of environmental clearance, whichever is later. This date would be referred to as the date of commencement of the project and licences would not be renewed beyond four years period from the date of commencement of the project.
Apartment Area: Under the Policy, the size of apartments to be constructed will be in the range of 28sqm to 60 sqm carpet area. The carpet area would be the net usable covered floor area bound within the walls of the apartment but excluding the area covered by the walls and any balcony which is approved free-of-FAR, but including the area forming part of kitchen, toilet, bathroom, store and built-in cupboard, almirah, shelf, which being usable covered area would form part of the carpet area.
No separate EWS category apartments would be provided to eliminate any cross subsidy component and thus to avoid any adverse impact on the affordability of apartments made available under this policy.
Parking Space: The parking space would be provided at the rate of half equivalent car space for each dwelling unit. Only one two-wheeler parking site would be earmarked for each flat, which would be allotted only to the flat-owners. The parking bay of two-wheelers would be 0.8m x 2.5m unless otherwise specified in the zoning plan. No car parking would be allotted to any apartment owner in such projects. The balance available parking space, if any, beyond the allocated two-wheeler parking sites.
Check on Builders: As a matter of security against any possible delinquencies in completion of the project, the coloniser would be required to furnish bank guarantee against the total realisation from the project at the rate of 15 per cent for areas falling in the Development Plans of Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panchkula, Panchkula Extension and Pinjore-Kalka and at the rate of 10 per cent for rest of the towns.
Maintenance service post delivery of project: As per affordable housing policy the developer will have to maintain the project free of cost for five years, after which a resident association takes over. It is a serious issue with affordable projects that needs to be defined in a better way to get a clear solution.
Conclusion: A great step in the right direction. The affordable housing policy is intended to encourage planning and completion of Group Housing Projects wherein apartments of pre-defined sizes are made available at pre-defined rates within a targeted time frame to ensure increased supply of affordable housing in the urban housing market.
The policy strikes a fine balance, on one hand it gives incentives to builders and at the same time has put in proper checks to ensure timely delivery of projects.
If implemented in spirit the affordable housing policy will benefit lower and lower-middle class population of approximately six lakhs in the urban centres of Haryana in the next five years period.
