DDA Narela flats sell fast: 65% of 1,165 units booked in days, premium segment sees unexpected boost

A revenue of Rs 489 crore has been earned so far across the segments. The one-bedroom units, priced in the affordable segment, generated about Rs 108 crore in revenue and were fully sold out on the first day. Two-bedroom flats accounted for around Rs 266 crore in revenue, while the three-bedroom category, typically considered premium housing in Narela, generated about Rs 115 crore.

On the surge in demand for premium flats, a senior DDA official said, “This is for the first time that we have witnessed such demand for MIG and HIG flats in Narela. Government employees were given a completely separate pocket under the scheme, which has created confidence that like-minded people can live together. That seems to have played a major role in driving the demand, especially in the premium segment.”

Under the scheme, the 1-BHK EWS flats, which have an area of around 61 square metres, cost Rs 34 lakh. The 2-BHK MIG flats, priced in the range of  Rs 79-88 lakh, have an area of 126-140 square metres. The 3-BHK HIG flats, priced between Rs 1.14-1.27 crore, have an area of 163-183 square metres.

Officials also attribute the renewed interest partly to improved connectivity. The completion of the Urban Extension Road-II last year has reduced travel time to other parts of Delhi, while the approved Rithala–Narela–Nathupur corridor under Delhi Metro’s Phase IV is expected to be operational in the next four to five years.

Narela is one of the DDA’s three major sub-city projects, along with Dwarka and Rohini. While planning began here in the late 1980s, large-scale construction picked up only in the early 2000s, with flats being offered for sale from around 2010. Residents here have in the past complained of poor maintenance, irregular water supply, lack of security, among other civic issues, which affected the sale of the flats.

Last month, the data submitted by Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State for Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, in the Lok Sabha highlighted that DDA has constructed 62,801 flats in North Delhi’s Narela and has only been able to sell only half of those.

But the DDA has also been attempting to rebuild the area’s image. Apart from renaming the sub-city to Vidhyanchal, a proposal that received the Lieutenant Governor’s nod last year, it also wants to position the area as an education and sports hub by allotting land parcels to various educational institutes and sports facilities.

The DDA has also claimed that the previous AAP-led government was non-cooperative, highlighting that the Delhi Transport Corporation and the Delhi Jal Board were not providing services despite payments being made. With a BJP-led government at the helm of the Capital now, the DDA expects to see growth in Narela, said officials.

Making bulk allotments to government institutions and public sector undertakings are also among other efforts that have been put in by the DDA to reposition the area.

Riding on the same buoyancy, officials said the DDA plans to launch additional housing schemes in the coming months. “We will soon be coming up with more schemes, with suitable discounts, for remaining flats across categories,” an official said.