Housing: Realtors call for single-window system

BHUBANESWAR: Realtors on Thursday called upon the Government to institute a single window system for approval and clearance of projects, if the objective of low cost housing for the larger section of the people was to be achieved. The developers have asserted the house prices would come down by 25 per cent if the procedural delays were removed. It would also effect more transparency and accountability in dealings and transactions  in the housing and real estate sector.The real estate sector is hamstrung by multi-department authorities. A developer has to run to at least 40 departments for different approvals and clearances. As a result, it takes at least two to three years for obtaining final approvals and going ahead with the projects. The delay contributes to 25 per cent of the price escalation, president of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association (Credai) Lalit Kumar Jain said at the opening of the StateCon 2011 and Property Expo 2011 hosted by the association’s Orissa Chapter here on Thursday. The single-window system would lead to significant increase in revenue for the Government, simultaneously bringing down prices of houses. Clearances should be given within three weeks if the criteria are met by the developers. The Government should also defreeze land stocks as a solution to affordable housing in urban areas, Jain said.  State Housing and Urban Development Secretary Sourabh Garg, however, called upon the builders and developers to evolve self-regulatory mechanisms so as to curb the dishonest and fraudulent practices of unscrupulous elements. There is a huge trust deficit in the housing sector, largely due to such irregularities and activities. He stressed on increased focus on low cost housing. The Government is keen to partner with the developers in streamlining the sector and bringing more credibility to it, Garg said. Inaugurating the four-day event, Revenue Minister SN Patro stated that the housing needs in urban areas were increasing manifold due to the continuous migration of people from rural areas. Along with provisioning of houses, civic infrastructure needs to be improved, he said.