The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has finally begun paying rent to the residents of the Signature View Apartments in North Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, which are structurally unsafe for habitation. The development follows months of delays as well as legal hurdles. The latest step marks a key development towards the long-pending redevelopment of the housing complex.
56 Homeowners Vacated Their Flats
According to a Hindustan Times report, almost 56 homeowners had vacated their flats and submitted the required documents. These people have received the rent for the months of January to July. The rents will be offered to the residents until they shift or regain possession of the units being redeveloped.
HT quotes a DDA official as saying, “Those who handed over possession before the Delhi High Court’s December 2024 order have been paid rent from January 1 to July 31 as per approved rates. Others will be added in phases.”
Structural Audit By IIT Delhi
The move follows a structural audit by IIT Delhi in 2021–22, which deemed the buildings unsafe for living purposes. In December 2024, the High Court had also termed the complex a “hazard to life and property”, asking residents to vacate.
However, after receiving the rents, the Signature View Apartments Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) has raised its concerns, flagging the issue that “DDA’s rent vacation MoU has no mention of the 10% annual rent escalation, and other matters like floor area ratio (FAR) and arrears remain unresolved.”
Monthly Maintenance Charge
In its announcement, the DDA had said to provide a monthly maintenance charge of Rs 50,000 for High-Income Group (HIG) flats and Rs 38,000 for Middle-Income Group (MIG) flats, payable by the 7th of each month. Flat vacancy is monitored through utility bills.
The original scheme comprises 336 flats, but the DDA now plans to add 168 more. However, residents are opposing the expansion, citing insufficient Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to support the additional construction.
