Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday announced a number of housing projects for the poor and middle class, including a satellite township near Madura­i, 1,500 multi-storeyed reside­ntial apartments and 4,422 houses in nine districts.

Making a suo motu statement in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said considering the increasing need for housing facilities in Madurai district, an integrated satellite township with all infrastructure facilities would be established 15 km from Madurai airport.

The satellite township would be built in 586.86 acres of land owned by Tamil Nadu Housing Board in Thoppur and Uchapatti villages on Madurai-Tirunelveli road. It would comprise 19,500 plots, of which 14,300 are earmar­ked for low-inco­me families, 2,500 for middle-income families and 750 for high-income families. Besides, 1,950 plots would be set apart for economically weak sections.

Apart from basic amenities like roads, drinking water and drainage facilities, streetlights, rain water harv­esting and parks that would cost `120 crore, the township would have schools, commer­cial complexes, a police station, post office, primary health centre, fire service and rescue station and improved industrial sites. TNHB funds will be used to build the township.

The Chief Minister also said 1,500 10-storey apartments would be built under the self-financing model in land owned by TNHB in Sholinganallur near Chennai at a cost of `612 crore, using pre-fab technology. Apart from these, 1,630 individual houses and 2,792 multi-storey tenements would be constructed in nine districts in TNHB land, at a cost of `918.45 crore. Besides, 32 plots would be developed in these districts.

The works on these apartments would be completed within 24 months.