With COVID-19 cases on the rise, and the threat of a lockdown looming again, homebuyer’s dream of purchasing affordable houses in the city is unlikely to come true. The Maharashtra Housing Area and Development Authority (MHADA), which conducts lotteries for houses in Mumbai at affordable rates, may not hold a lottery this year too, sources said.

Every year, around June, MHADA puts out lottery advertisements, encouraging citizens to apply for its housing units, which are across the city. For the last two years, the lottery dates were pushed to August. In 2020, MHADA skipped the lottery due to the pandemic.