CHANDIGARH, Oct. 9 -- The Enforcement Directorate's three-day search at the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) last month has put Punjab's housing and urban development department on the back foot, with several major property auctions and urban development projects being put on hold amid heightened scrutiny of land transactions and policy decisions.

The state-wide auction of residential and commercial properties, originally scheduled for September 24, was postponed, while the National Housing and Urban Innovation Summit, scheduled for October 9, has been deferred to November. The proposed launch of the Eco City-2 (Extension) township in New Chandigarh has also been put on hold.

A senior officer of the housing and urban de...