Is any GMADA plot scheme open in 2026?

As of 30 October 2026, GMADA's schemes page said that schemes are currently not available. Check the schemes page and public notices on gmada.gov.in for the next one, and be wary of anyone selling forms for a scheme that is not on GMADA's own website.

How does the GMADA draw of lots work?

GMADA advertises a scheme, applicants apply with earnest money, and the list of eligible applicants is put on gmada.gov.in. A public draw then picks successful applicants by category and plot size, and the result is posted on GMADA's website. Winners get a letter of intent.

How much earnest money is needed for a GMADA scheme?

It is set in each scheme's brochure. In the Eco City-2 scheme of December 2020, as reported by The Tribune, it was 10% of the plot price, with a further 15% due within 30 days of the letter of intent.

What is the difference between an LOI and an allotment letter?

The letter of intent tells you that you have been picked and what to pay to confirm. The allotment letter, issued after that payment, fixes the plot, the price and the payment schedule, and is the document later steps refer to.

What plot sizes were offered in GMADA's Eco City-2 scheme?

The 2020 to 2021 scheme offered 289 plots in sizes of 200, 300, 400, 450, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 square yards at ₹25,000 per square yard, according to The Tribune of 30 December 2020. The draw was held on 22 February 2021.

Can an NRI apply in a GMADA plot scheme?

It depends on the scheme. In the Eco City-2 scheme, people settled abroad were excluded from the general category, as reported. Read the eligibility clause of the scheme's own brochure before applying.

GMADA Plot Scheme Explained: From Notice to Draw of Lots to Allotment Letter

Property1313 Team · October 20, 2026 · 9 min read

Quick answer: A GMADA plot scheme sells residential plots at a fixed price by draw of lots, not by bidding. GMADA advertises the scheme, you apply with earnest money (10% of the plot price in the Eco City-2 scheme of December 2020), eligible applicants go into a public draw, and winners get a letter of intent and then an allotment letter with a payment schedule. As of 30 October 2026, GMADA's schemes page says no scheme is open.

When people say "GMADA scheme" they usually mean one thing: a chance to buy a plot straight from the authority at a fixed rate, through a lottery. That is different from an e-auction, where the highest bid wins, and from land pooling, where plots go to landowners. This guide explains how a GMADA plot scheme works from the first notice to the allotment letter, using the last fully reported residential plot scheme, Eco City-2 in New Chandigarh, as the worked example. It also shows where to watch for the next one.

Is any GMADA plot scheme open right now?

No. When we checked GMADA's schemes page on 30 October 2026, it said that schemes are currently not available. GMADA's public notices for October 2026 were about land acquisition for the Aerotropolis extension, Expocity and Eco City-4, and about maintenance works, not about a new plot scheme.

That matters for one practical reason. If someone offers you a "form" or a "booking" in a GMADA scheme that is not on the authority's own website, be very careful. GMADA advertises its schemes publicly, and the application, the eligible list and the draw result all appear on gmada.gov.in.

Tip: Check the schemes page and the public notices on gmada.gov.in once a month, or ask us to tell you when a scheme opens. We do not charge for that.

Scheme, auction or land pooling: three ways GMADA sells a plot

Route	How the plot is priced	Who gets it	Typical sites
Plot scheme (draw of lots)	Fixed allotment rate set by GMADA	Eligible applicants picked by draw	Residential plots in a new township
E-auction	Highest bid above a reserve price	The highest accepted bidder	Plots, SCOs, booths, group housing, hotel sites
Land pooling	Developed land in place of cash compensation	Landowners whose land was acquired	Residential and commercial plots in the same project

Our guides to the GMADA e-auction and GMADA land pooling cover the other two routes. The rest of this page is about the scheme and the draw.

How a GMADA plot scheme works, step by step

The terms change from scheme to scheme, so always read that scheme's own brochure. The broad sequence has stayed the same:

Advertisement. GMADA publishes the scheme with the township, the plot sizes, the rate, the eligibility rules, the earnest money and the opening and closing dates.
Application with earnest money. You apply within the window and pay the earnest money set in the brochure.
Eligible list. GMADA publishes the list of eligible applicants on its website before the draw.
Draw of lots. A public draw picks successful applicants, category by category and size by size.
Result. The result is posted on gmada.gov.in. Unsuccessful applicants get their earnest money back under the scheme's refund terms.
Letter of intent (LOI). Successful applicants get an LOI and pay the next instalment within the stated period.
Allotment letter and payment plan. The allotment letter fixes the plot, the price and the schedule for the rest of the money.
Possession, conveyance deed, building. After development and payment, you take possession, execute the conveyance deed and build within the period the allotment allows.

The Eco City-2 scheme: a worked example

The Eco City-2 scheme in New Chandigarh is a good example because it was reported in detail at each stage.

On 30 December 2020, The Tribune reported that GMADA had offered 289 residential plots at Eco City-2 at ₹25,000 per square yard. The plot sizes were 200, 300, 400, 450, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 square yards. Applications opened on 7 December 2020 and closed on 14 January 2021. The scheme was open to residents of India who were 18 or older by the last date.

The money worked like this, as reported:

Stage	Payment in the Eco City-2 scheme
With the application	10% of the plot price as earnest money
Within 30 days of the letter of intent	15% of the price
Balance 75%, option 1	Lump sum within 60 days, with a 5% rebate
Balance 75%, option 2	6 half-yearly instalments at 9% a year, compounded

On 17 February 2021, The Tribune reported that the draw of lots would be held on 22 February 2021 at the community centre of Purab Premium Apartments in Sector 88, Mohali, with the list of eligible applicants already on GMADA's website and the result to follow there the next day.

Those figures belong to that scheme. A new scheme can have a different rate, different earnest money and a different instalment plan, so read its own brochure.

Note: The 2025 e-auction policy of the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Department says its late-payment rules also apply to sites and plots sold through draw of lots: a one-month grace period at the normal interest, then up to five more months with a 5.5% a year penalty, after which the authority can start resumption of the site (clause 6.1 of the notification of 20 February 2025).

From LOI to allotment letter: what changes

The letter of intent tells you that you have been picked and what you must pay to confirm. It is not yet an allotment. Once you pay the instalment the LOI asks for, GMADA issues the allotment letter, which is the document your loan, your instalments and any later transfer will refer to.

Read the allotment letter as carefully as you would a sale deed. Check:

your name, exactly as on your ID and bank account;
the plot number, the size and the sector or pocket;
the price, the instalment dates and the interest rate;
the conditions on possession, building and transfer.

Ownership stays with GMADA until you have paid everything. After full payment, you apply for a no due certificate and then execute the conveyance deed. Our GMADA resale checklist explains those documents, and what a buyer should ask for if you later sell.

What to check: If your GMADA account shows a dues figure you do not recognise, sort it out before the next instalment. GMADA's website lets you check a property ledger online, and a no due certificate will not issue while anything is outstanding.

Want help reading an LOI or allotment letter, or planning the instalments against a home loan? Call or WhatsApp Property1313 on 89100 01313, or send it through our contact page. We will go through it with you, line by line.

Eligibility: who can apply

Each brochure sets its own rules. In the Eco City-2 scheme, as reported in December 2020, applicants had to be residents of India aged 18 or over, and people settled abroad were excluded from the general category. Schemes usually also set rules on how many applications a family can make and on reserved categories. Do not assume the last scheme's rules apply to the next one.

If you are an NRI, check the eligibility clause first. Some schemes have excluded people settled abroad from the general category, and a relative applying "on your behalf" can create problems later at transfer.

What a winning applicant should budget for

The plot price is only part of the cost. Plan for:

the instalments and interest, if you do not pay the balance in one go;
stamp duty and registration on the conveyance deed, payable at the Sub-Registrar (see our guide to stamp duty and registration charges in Punjab);
building plan approval and construction within the period the allotment allows;
an extension fee if you cannot build in time.

If you need a loan, talk to your bank before the draw, not after. Our home loan guide for Punjab buyers and the EMI calculator help you size the instalments.

If there is no scheme open: other ways to buy in GMADA areas

With no GMADA scheme open as of 30 October 2026, buyers who want a plot or a home in a GMADA-planned area have three choices: wait for the next scheme, bid in an e-auction, or buy resale or new from the private market with proper paperwork.

If you want to see what is on offer in Eco City-2 and the nearby New Chandigarh sectors today, one RERA-registered project we list is:

GB Realty Opus One · Eco-City 2, New Chandigarh · ₹3.63 Cr onwards

You can also browse plots in New Chandigarh, plots in Mohali, and our Eco City guide for the status of each phase.

Before you apply in the next GMADA scheme

Download the brochure from gmada.gov.in itself, not from a forwarded PDF.
Note the closing date, the earnest money and the refund terms.
Apply in only the category and size you truly want.
Check your name on the eligible list before the draw.
Watch the draw result on GMADA's website, and keep a screenshot with the date.
If you win, read the LOI the same day and diarise every payment date.

Get a reminder when the next scheme opens

We follow GMADA's notices because our buyers ask about them every week. If you want a message when a new residential plot scheme opens, or help deciding between a scheme, an auction and a resale plot, call or WhatsApp Property1313 on 89100 01313, or leave your details on our contact page.

This guide is general information based on GMADA's website and dated press reports, not legal or tax advice; check with a CA or property lawyer before you apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is any GMADA plot scheme open in 2026?: As of 30 October 2026, GMADA's schemes page said that schemes are currently not available. Check the schemes page and public notices on gmada.gov.in for the next one, and be wary of anyone selling forms for a scheme that is not on GMADA's own website.
How does the GMADA draw of lots work?: GMADA advertises a scheme, applicants apply with earnest money, and the list of eligible applicants is put on gmada.gov.in. A public draw then picks successful applicants by category and plot size, and the result is posted on GMADA's website. Winners get a letter of intent.
How much earnest money is needed for a GMADA scheme?: It is set in each scheme's brochure. In the Eco City-2 scheme of December 2020, as reported by The Tribune, it was 10% of the plot price, with a further 15% due within 30 days of the letter of intent.
What is the difference between an LOI and an allotment letter?: The letter of intent tells you that you have been picked and what to pay to confirm. The allotment letter, issued after that payment, fixes the plot, the price and the payment schedule, and is the document later steps refer to.
What plot sizes were offered in GMADA's Eco City-2 scheme?: The 2020 to 2021 scheme offered 289 plots in sizes of 200, 300, 400, 450, 500, 1,000 and 2,000 square yards at ₹25,000 per square yard, according to The Tribune of 30 December 2020. The draw was held on 22 February 2021.
Can an NRI apply in a GMADA plot scheme?: It depends on the scheme. In the Eco City-2 scheme, people settled abroad were excluded from the general category, as reported. Read the eligibility clause of the scheme's own brochure before applying.