KARACHI, Feb 24: President General Pervez Musharraf would perform the computerised balloting of the third phase of the low-cost housing scheme – Taiser Town – on February 27.

The director-general of the Malir Development Authority (MDA), Ameerzada Kohati, told Dawn that some 139,000 applications were received for 240sq-yards and 400sq-yards residential plots against 7,000 plots in the two categories.

In November last, the MDA launched the third phase of the Taiser Town Housing Scheme and invited applications for 240sq-yards and 400sq-yards residential plots. The total price of a 240sq-yards plot is Rs0.528 million and that of a 400sq-yards plot Rs1.2 million, besides the amount has to be paid over a period of three years.

The MDA earned Rs139 million by selling the application forms at Rs1,000 each (non-refundable). The photocopy of those forms was also acceptable.

Talking about development in the Taiser Town, Mr Kohati said that the uplift work was going on speedily and the possession of the 80sq-yards, 120sq-yards, 240sq-yards and 400sq-yards plots would be given to the successful persons within a period of three years instead of five.He said the president was scheduled to perform the computerised balloting for the third phase of Taiser Town on Tuesday at a ceremony to be held in Governor’s House.

In the previous two ballotings, which were also performed by President Musharraf, the MDA allotted 34,762 plots measuring 80sq-yards each in the first phase and 19,587 plots measuring 120sq-yards each in the second phase.

In the third phase of the Taiser Town project, people deposited Rs31,000 for a 240 sq-yards plot and Rs51,000 for a 400 sq-yards plot through pay orders in the name of the MDA and since last four months their amount was lying with the MDA.

However, after February 27, the MDA would start refunding the amount to the unsuccessful candidates and the process would take at least a month to complete.