BENGALURU: In a bid to professionalise its methods of selling its 2,370 flats, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has decided to set up a customer care centre within its head office with MBA graduates interacting with potential buyers. The initial plan of going in for ‘across the table’ sale of flats will not withstand legal scrutiny, say top BDA officials.
BDA Commissioner Rakesh Singh said, “BDA staffers are presently responding to countless queries from those interested in purchasing flats in the midst of other work. Staff dedicated only to sell flats will be able to help the public better. I have asked my staff to set up a dedicated cell shortly in this connection.”
MBA graduates with some industry experience could be hired, he added. “This would be a temporary appointment. After the flats are all sold, in say two or three months, this Centre could be closed,” he said.
Asked about the recent move planned to go in for sale of flats ‘Across the Table’ to goad public to buy flats, Singh said, “It would not stand legal scrutiny as the system of allotting flats need to be a transparent process. We have to explore that aspect in detail.” At present, BDA has flats of various dimensions in Kanminike, Komaghatta, Malagale and Doddabanahalli which are almost ready for sale, a top BDA official said.
While BDA flats always had a poor response in comparison to its sites, there has been a further slide in the sale of flats post-demonetisation. There has been a slump in sale of sites too with even corner sites not getting sold.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had recently announced that 1-BHK BDA flats would be sold with a discount of 44 per cent to SC/ST communities and a 25 per cent discount to the EWS.However, a top BDA official claims that the response from the public has been good. “I receive between 150 to 200 calls from public daily.
If a notification in this connection is issued shortly, I am sure the flats will all be sold within a fortnight.”
Stats on flats
Kanminike: 546 flats (2BHK flats with 650sqft carpet area); 284 (2BHK with 800sqft carpet area)
Komaghatta: 164 flats (2BHK with 600sqft carpet area); 313 flats (2BHK with 800sqft carpet area)
Malagala: 335 (2BHK with 900sqft carpet area)
Doddabanahalli: 470 flats (2BHK with 600sqft carpet area)
Alur: 57 simplex flats (2BHK with one floor); 221 duplex flats (2BHK with two floors)
Total: 2,370 flats