The Ultimate Guide To Apply For Government Quarters in Mumbai

If you are a Mumbai-based central government employee and can’t figure out how to apply for subsidized housing, here’s an easy step-by-step procedure that would guide you through the process.

What is GPRA?

The government runs several schemes to ensure the welfare of its employees. One of these schemes is the General Pool Residential Accommodation scheme (GPRA). The purpose of which is to provide central government employees with affordable housing. To do so, a pool of housing units is maintained by the central government.

The allotment process of these housing units is based on eligibility, vacancies, and requirements. To make the whole process of applying for accommodations a little bit easier and faster for the employees, the union housing ministry recently launched the E-Sampada portal. Earlier the E-Awas portal was being used for the same purpose. It is an electronic governance tool. The E-Awas portal allowed the applicants to choose and apply for housing units at their workplaces under the GPRA system. The main reason behind creating the E-Awas program was to provide a fast, paperless, and transparent allocation process.

These subsidized homes are maintained and administered by the Directorate of Estates in Delhi and the central public works department. The allotment complies with the provisions laid down in the Allotment of Government Residences Rules in Delhi and 31 stations outside the capital.

In the list of costliest cities, Mumbai stands at 19th place in Asia and 60th in the world. According to a survey done by Mercer’s in 2020 to find out the cost of living in different cities, Mumbai was the most expensive one for an ex-pat.

Getting acquainted with E-Sampada

The E-Sampada portal was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. To apply for houses in Mumbai by E-Sampada, follow the below-mentioned steps.

  • Go to the E-Sampada portal and find ‘Government Residential Accommodation’ and click on it.
  • Now you are required to log in through your registered phone number or official email id or using details from the mailbox. After you successfully logged in, fill the DE-ll form.
  • A procedure would be mentioned on the portal, follow it to apply for the government quarters successfully.

Eligibility criteria for GPRAS (Mumbai)

Applicants working anywhere other than Delhi (such as Mumbai) must first get their proposal approved by the CCA (Cabinet Committee on Accommodation). It should then be forwarded to the directorate after also being approved by the joint secretary.

The proposal should be complete with information like the status of the office and whether or not the particular office and department staff are eligible for accommodation from some other pool.

Central government employees can apply for a departmental residential accommodation pool and can also apply for the general pool.

However, a certificate has to be submitted from the applicant’s department stating that the applicant has been given in turn allotment. Certificates without these special teams being specifically mentioned would be declined.

Start by logging in

A very important step in filling the GPRA application is getting the login credentials.

  • To do this, go to the GPRA official website. Once you are at the homepage of the website, navigate further down to find the E-Awas
  • When you see the E-Awas option, click on it. After which, a form would appear in front of you. Fill the form very carefully and refrain from making any mistakes.
  • After completing this step, you can request credentials on your email-ID and mobile number.

Other than that, you can also request credentials by directly emailing the directorate on [email protected].

Applying using the ASA Portal

  • First, visit the Mumbai ASA portal, then either log in with an id and password generated through E-Awas, or you can also request login credentials using the ‘register now option.
  • After this, your form would be sent to the administrative officer to get verified online, and finally, it would reach the Directorate of Estates.

You would be placed on the waiting list, after which your account is enabled to fill up your preferences for the allotment of homes during the monthly bidding period.

The Bidding Cycle

The bidding cycle will commence from 1st to 9th of each month, beginning from March 1st, 2021.

Applicants should keep in mind that the applications should be submitted within the particular timelines associated.

Applications received during the last date of the month are covered within the listings of the subsequent month.

Making Preferences for house allotment

Once on the waiting list, you are eligible to fill in your preferences. For doing this, you need to get logged in to the E-Awas Mumbai portal, as explained earlier. When you get through with logging in, click allotment and then go to allotment preferences. Select the desired type and pool.

After this, the list of localities where houses are available would pop up. Choose the localities and houses you think fit and set preferences from 1 to 20 as you desire and submit them.

Changing Preferences

If you have some doubts about your set preferences, don’t worry. You can change them as many times as you please. However, this modification can only be done during the bidding period. Make sure to exercise the preferences before 5 pm on the last date. Allotment would not be made to the applicants that do it after five.

Online bidding can be done from 5 to the 14th of the month, and the allotment takes place on the 15th.

Is it Obligatory to accept the accommodation?

The candidate must accept the residence he/she is allotted; otherwise, they could face the consequences like being debarred from the future allotment process for 3 months.

There is a way in which you can apply once for changes in the residence provided to you. That is, if the first allotment that happened was not of your choice, after being changed once, the allottee can’t apply for further changes.

Applying for changes in accommodation                   

Changes are entertained only once for a particular kind of accommodation. Furthermore, they can only be done in case of the same type of accommodation. In case you need to apply for changes, comply with the following procedure.

  • As always, log into your account on the E-Awas portal. Then, click on ‘application’, select the relevant form and fill it. After submitting the form, you also need to submit a hard copy of the application.
  • Your office should forward the hard copy to the IFC, Nirman Bhawan, DOE, Delhi, or the concerned regional offices in Mumbai.
  • The ASA is updated each month. You can give preferences for areas during the bidding period for a particular residence.
  • Vacate the previous residence allotted within 15 days of the occupation of the new accommodation. Furthermore, the submission of the acceptance for change of accommodation should be done within eight days from issuing the allotment letter.

Being precise about the prescribed period is essential. Any delay or failure in vacating the residence, the allotment would be canceled, and the eviction proceedings would start taking place without any further due.

Procedure of allotment

The GPRA allotments are based on a ‘Unified Waiting List’ for a specific type of accommodation. All applicants, including those awaiting initial allotment and change of accommodation, are lumped together on this waiting list.

Allotments are made based on priority dates and seniority. Each applicant is given two allotments for each type of accommodation.

Authority slip and allotment letter

The issuing of allotment letters is done online. The allottees have to fill up an acceptance form, which is available on E-Awas and E-Sampada portals.

After the acceptance form is accepted and verified by the offices, a licensing bill and authority slip would be generated online.

Once the process of receiving the physical occupation of the allotted residence is complete, a received license fee bill is issued to the allottee.

Precautions

Here are some things you should take note of after the residence is allotted to you:-

  • First, after the residence has been handed over, you are now free to put your lock on the door.
  • Remember to check each item that is either fitted or furnished in the residence so that you don’t face any disruptions later on.
  • Report to CPWD (Central Public Workers Department) in case of any damages or deficiencies in the property.
  • You also need to obtain a physical occupation report signed by the junior engineer, CPWD.
  • To secure water and electricity connections in your residence, contact the municipal authority concerned.

Another fact to be informed of is that the rent is charged from the 8th-day from the date of allotment or the date of occupation, whichever comes earlier.

If the CPWD verifies that the residence is not fit for occupation, a license fee would be charged to the allottee starting from the day of handing over the residence.

How to surrender the government quarter allotted under GPRA?

In case you decide to surrender your occupied general pool residential accommodation, the DOE (Directorate of Estates) has to be informed at least 2 days before the date of vacating the residence.

The allotment of your residence will be canceled from the 11th day after the day the letter reaches the directorate or the date you mention in the letter.

Relaxations in GPRA Due to Covid 19

The second wave of COVID-19 has hit India even harder than the first time. Taking into concern the ongoing situation, the central government has decided to announce relaxations in some laws related to the general pool residential accommodation scheme.

The government recently released a notification according to which retention of allotted GPRAs in the country, from April 1, 2021- June 30, 2021, would apply to the below-listed categories.

The rules subject to these changes are listed below:-

Rule 24(2)

Suppose two people who are in occupation of two different accommodations (under the GPRAs) marry each other. In that case, they are required to vacate one of the residences within one month of their marriage.

Rule 40

Which sets down rules for the concessional period of retention of GPRA.

Rule 44 (7 & 8)

Which is a rule governing the change of accommodation.

These relaxations are also applicable to people who have become unauthorized occupant of government accommodation before April 1, 2021.

But in cases like these, once the retention period comes to an end (June 30, 2021), the damage charges would also return to normal as they were before.

Also, Read     MCGM

 FAQ

How do I change the allotted accommodation more than once in Mumbai?

There is no way you can apply for it in Mumbai or any other region more than once. Changes in the allotted residence can only be made once the allotment transpired was not of your choice. In case of non-acceptance of changes in the accommodation, you would not be eligible for any further changes.

When was the E-Sampada portal launched?

The E-Sampada portal was launched by the ministry of housing and urban affairs on December 25, 2020 (the good governance day). It was a step taken to boost transparency and accountability while also providing easy management of services.

What is the process of applying for government quarters in the Navi Mumbai and Thane areas of the Mumbai region?

The above article shows every way possible in which you can apply for a government quarter in Mumbai. You need to follow the steps mentioned above judiciously.

How can I surrender my Mumbai GPRA residence?

You need to inform the DOE at least 2 days before vacating the residence.

How to get login credentials for a GPRA application?

Scroll down to find the E-Awas option on the GPRA official website. Click on E-Awas and fill out the form to request login credentials via your email address and mobile phone number.

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