Delhi is woefully short of housing especially premium lifestyle gated communities. Most buyers end up buying houses in projects in Noida or Gurugram. DDA had stopped auctioning plots to private developers somewhere in the 1970s in a bid to promote socialist public housing. For the longest time, DDA was the sole authority responsible for the acquisition of land and development of the city. Recently, in a first-of-its-kind step, DDA made an auction to a private developer instead of CGHS in Dwarka, after almost fifty years. So finally, in the sub-city of Dwarka which is home to approx 350 CGHS and 20,000 DDA flats, for the first time ever, a lifestyle gated community is coming up
Namrata Kohli speaks to Suresh Anand, Founder HL and co-founder Golf Island who is building Golf Island apartments in Sector 19B, Dwarka.
For the first time in the history of Delhi and DDA, the DDA has auctioned housing plot to a private developer like you, instead of a CGHS. What do you think was the trigger?
It is just that they have changed the policy. For the last 40-50 years, DDA were giving land to CGHS on a subsidized rate, not just in Dwarka but majorly in three other localities namely IP Extn (Patparganj), Mayur Vihar, Rohini. Today so much private development has taken place in neighbourhood of Delhi especially in Noida, Greater Noida, Gurgaon- it was time to change.
The fact is there is no land-owning agency in Gurugram. In Gurugram, agricultural land is always purchased by the various developers and CLU (Change of Land Use) is being changed on account of housing or commercial. In the case of UP, it is different and Noida Greater Noida have come up in a planned manner because land has been acquired by the Noida and Greater Noida Authority and the surroundings have been developed by the govt and plots have been auctioned subsequently and that is a much better model. There is a different structure between Gurgaon and Noida, but Delhi has not had any structure whether its land acquisition of the government or even agricultural land is purchased and there is no CLU (Change of Land Use) policy at all. DDA must have realized while giving land to CGHS that too on a very subsidized rate, they are not able to earn anything out of the land, whereas in Delhi’s neighbourhood (Noida, Greater Noida, Gurugram) so much of private development has taken place. At the same time, they were earning through the commercial auction and selling at a very exorbitant rate since last 25 years. They were also selling to institutional areas such as schools and hospitals. Only residential was left out and now that ice is broken.
Your project enjoys a good location right opposite to the upcoming 18-hole golf course, which is touted to be the biggest public golf course in India. Pls tell us about the project.
Our project Golf Island is being built on an area of 3.81 acre. Imagine a lavish abode spread across 3.8 acres of land, offering four-bedroom residences from where you get breathtaking views of green golf course as far as your eyes go. This golf course will not only be Delhi’s latest 18-hole golf course, but it will be the longest in the country with a length of 7,366 yard. Our Golf Island community will have private theatre and swimming pool, and we are giving amenities on ground and terrace level– all this just for 200 families. These fully furnished apartments with Mivan construction, stilt plus 13 floor, two basement will have a skywalk on terrace connecting all the blocks. Imagine residents having morning walk on the skywalk not having to go outside the community anywhere else. In vicinity is the upcoming Diplomatic enclave and embassies, 5 star properties hotel, Max hospital, Bharat Vandana Park by central government, etc.
Dwarka has been a locality with approx. 350 CGHS and 20,000 DDA flats. Is there demand for such upscale golf homes in a sub city like Dwarka?
More than 50 percent flats were sold within six months of the launch of the project in June 2023. The demand still continues, and the capital values have appreciated 20-30% within such a short period. Even the DDA penthouses right next-door are selling well. Any luxury offering that has come to Dwarka’s doorstep has been lapped up by the Dwarkaiites – be it Vegas mall or hotels. The feedback we have received from our customers is that they are delighted they don’t have to leave the city for a lifestyle home. Earlier, those looking for aspirational living, would either purchase a property in Dwarka Expressway or Gurugram, Noida. There has been a huge pent demand within the sub city for aspirational living and people have the capacity to pay.
You seem to have got the fastest RERA in the history of Delhi NCR. Pls tell us about your RERA experience.
Beyond doubt, this seems to be the fastest RERA ever given to anyone. The RERA approval was fast and efficient and came within less than a month. Being an experienced developer, we knew what documents are to be filed online to the RERA department. It’s actually just a simple application form which has to be filled online and to be submitted as documents in RERA’s office. We submitted in online and offline format all the 20-25 documents and obtained sanctions from all the departments whether it is Environment, Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC), firefighting department, airport authority – four departments through which our plans were sanctioned before DDA releases the maps. Finally, on 29th March, the RERA registration came up.
