Jaipur: The Rajasthan Housing Board’s three-day e-auction of properties at the Pratap Nagar Coaching Hub received a poor response, with only two of the 23 properties listed for auction finding buyers. The auction was held from Sept 23 to 25.The properties, spread across seven categories, had reserve prices ranging from Rs 1.05 crore to Rs 5.74 crore, with the largest units measuring 745.59 sqm. TOI had reported on Aug 21 that smaller coaching institutes feared competitive bidding could push property prices beyond their reach. An RHB official had also said auction-based sales could drive prices higher, with revenue generation being a key consideration. With only two of the 23 properties finding buyers, those concerns have resurfaced.Auction participants and prospective buyers, however, questioned the pricing, saying the rates had been increased citing the cost of buildings’ maintenance. They alleged that despite higher prices, several parts of the Coaching Hub are poorly maintained, raising questions over justification for the pricing.All Coaching Institute Federation president Aneesh Kumar Nadar said the project could succeed only if coaching institutes operating in violation of norms are acted against and properties are offered at concessional rates or through a lottery.The federation also alleged that earlier allottees withdrew their money after the project failed to attract coaching institutes. The federation will approach Supreme Court through amicus curiae over the issue.TOI tried contacting RHB deputy commissioner Sanjay Singh for a response but he was not reachable.
