The Hindu 21.01.2010
‘Flats for slum dwellers will be ready by June’
Special Correspondent
| Work in progress at Ukkadam and Ammankulam |
Corporation revises plan and goes in for earthquake-resistant structures
Civic body is of view that funds should not impose any constraint on scheme
Photo: S. Siva Saravanan 
For a better life: Multi-storeyed tenements for slum dwellers coming up at Ukkadam in Coimbatore. —
COIMBATORE: The 3,650 flats under construction at Ukkadam and Ammankulam for slum dwellers may be completed by June, Mayor R. Venkatachalam said on Sunday.
The multi-storeyed tenements were being constructed by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board on land provided by the Coimbatore Corporation. It was earlier used as a sewage farm.
Work on the multi-storeyed tenements was progressing well and there were indications from the TNSCB that the flats might be ready for occupation before the World Classical Tamil Conference in June, the Mayor said.
The Corporation also was into building similar tenements nearby for another 9,600 families living in slums on water bodies and elsewhere in the city.
The Mayor pointed out that the Corporation Council had approved at the Urgent Meeting on January 13 a proposal to build these tenements at an outlay of Rs.430 crore.
Initially, these tenements were to be built at Rs.184 crore. But, the Corporation revised its plan and the estimate in order to go in for earthquake-resistant structures.
While sending the proposal to the State Government for clearance, the Corporation would ask for more grants. The other option was to spend from its General Fund.
The Corporation was of the firm view that funds should not impose any constraint on the scheme as the civic body wanted to rid the city of slums and provide better living conditions to those who had been living in appalling conditions for years.
The Corporation would build the 9,600 flats as part of the Basic Services for Urban Poor scheme under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. These tenements would come under the third phase of the scheme.
The first two phases involved the providing of houses on the very lands where the urban poor lived now.
The second and third phases involved re-location of those living in slums that encroached water bodies and other places.
“Initially, 3,960 flats will be built at Rs.200 crore under the newly proposed phase,” the Mayor said.
Tenders would be called after getting the sanction from the Government, change of land use and clearance from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
“The detailed project report is ready and will be sent soon to the Government for clearance. We hope to start the work on the third phase before the Tamil conference,” Mr. Venkatachalam said.
The Mayor rejected independent councillor M.S. Velmurugan’s contention that the Ukkadam site was dangerous for the people as it had been used earlier as a sewage farm.
“People want to move into these tenements as they yearn for better living conditions. Those who own some houses in slums that encroach upon tanks are trying to mislead the people,” he said.
“Now, these people are sought to be used politically by persons who oppose the scheme.”
“We are not providing mere concrete houses to live in. The tenements will have drinking water line and drainage that these people do not have in the slums now. Apart from parks, health centres will also be established,” the Mayor said.
“We are not only moving them out of the present slums on the tanks, but are also aiming to provide them better quality of life. They also need to have hygienic environs,” he said.
