Mumbai: Tens of thousands of low-cost homes are lying empty across India even as officials race to meet a deadline to provide housing for everyone by 2022, which analysts say highlights critical shortcomings in government policy.

About 164,000 low-cost homes built under previous schemes are vacant, according to a housing ministry official.

An affordable home is typically about 23 square metres in size, and can cost up to 1.2 million rupees ($23,000). It is usually located in the outskirts of the city where land is cheaper.

"A significant number of them are in areas which lack the necessary support infrastructure - most importantly transport," said Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock Property Consultants.

"One way to ensure these homes are occupied is to rapidly deploy the support infrastructure in these areas. These homes will deteriorate if they lie unoccupied much longer," he said.

Freeing up surplus land owned by government agencies for affordable housing can also help, experts say.

Earlier this year, India's top court said authorities should consider converting empty government properties in the cities into homeless shelters.

India is not the only country confronting this issue: thousands of homeless people in the Philippines have moved into empty government housing.