Bhubaneswar: Ekamra Residency, Bhubaneswar Development Authority’s (BDA) showpiece housing project, has thrown up an unexpected reality about govt housing, which is now being priced at levels comparable to, and in some cases, higher than govt-developed housing available in metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai.Online application process for allotment of flats at Ekamra Residency, located at Subudhipur in Kalinga Nagar, began on Sept 18. The project offers 2BHK apartments priced between Rs 78.36 lakh and Rs 79.94 lakh, while 2BHK-plus-study units are priced between Rs 94.9 lakh and Rs 96.82 lakh, excluding registration charges and other statutory fees.A comparison with govt housing schemes being implemented by agencies such as Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in Delhi, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) in Mumbai and CIDCO in Navi Mumbai Metropolitan Region presents a striking picture.According to a comparative study of major govt housing projects across Indian cities, middle-income group (MIG) housing under DDA is priced between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 75 lakh, while similar-category units under MHADA are available between Rs 45 lakh and Rs 75 lakh and CIDCO’s MIG housing is priced between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 80 lakh.BDA project’s premium 2BHK-plus-study units, costing nearly Rs 97 lakh, enter a price territory traditionally associated with higher-income-group housing in metros. In fact, the starting price of BDA’s larger apartments exceeds the upper limit of MIG flats offered under DDA and MHADA schemes.Housing market observers say the development reflects the dramatic appreciation of land values in the city. “What makes the comparison more significant is that Bhubaneswar is not competing with private developers but with govt agencies in some of the country’s most expensive real estate markets,” said real estate expert Bimalendu Pradhan.BDA officials claimed that unlike previous projects, Ekamra Residency has been positioned as a lifestyle-oriented housing project. “It comprises 704 apartments and includes facilities such as a rooftop swimming pool, gymnasium, community centre, parking, multiple lifts, CCTV surveillance and power backup,” a senior BDA official told TOI.Industry experts point out that while DDA, MHADA and CIDCO continue to maintain the categorisation in the LIG, MIG and HIG sectors, the latest BDA offering is concentrated in the upper-middle segment. The other area where BDA is focusing is affordable housing, which is basically meant for slum dwellers and priced as low as Rs 1.5 lakh.“Traditionally, govt housing agencies acted as a bridge between affordable housing and the private market. What is interesting in Bhubaneswar is that the flagship govt project is now competing with premium residential developments in terms of pricing,” said Sangram Nayak, a city-based real estate consultant.Many prospective buyers say the project is attractive, but affordability remains a concern. “For a middle-income family, buying a Rs 95 lakh apartment through a housing loan would be a huge burden since the final outgo over the repayment period could be substantially higher after interest costs, registration and taxes,” said Jitendra Ojha, a prospective buyer.