The Hindu 27.08.2009
Drainage works under Central scheme begin in slums
Special Correspondent
| In order to provide basic services for the urban poor |
Photo: S. Siva Saravanan 
TAKE OFF: Coimbatore Corporation South Zone Chairman P. Pynthamil launches underground drainage works at Tyagi Sivaram Nagar in the city on Wednesday. —
COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation began on Wednesday works to provide underground sewers in a couple of slums, as part of the Basic Services for Urban Poor component of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
These were among the Rs.22 crore works the Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra told presspersons on Monday that the civic body had taken up for implementation. At least 50 per cent of the works had crossed the bids stage.
Under the BSUP, the Corporation would fund the construction of independent houses and multi-storeyed tenements and also provide basic amenities in the slums.
On the works that began on Wednesday, Corporation sources said 13 works to provide various basic amenities would be implemented at Rs.1 crore at four slums in Ward 13.
In the first phase, Kamaraj Nagar and Tyagi Sivaram Nagar would be provided underground drainage at Rs.11.20 lakh and Rs.15 lakh respectively.
After the drainage works were completed, the Corporation would construct storm water drains and lay tar roads.
Drainage works were launched by Mayor R. Venkatachalam and Deputy Mayor N. Karthik in East Zone.
Corporation South Zone Chairman P. Pynthamil started the drainage work at Tyagi Sivaram Nagar that came under his zone.
The Commissioner said the Corporation had sent to the Directorate of Town and Country Planning for its approval a plan to construct 9,000 houses under Phase III of the BSUP. The estimates had already been finalised.
Phases I and II were already under progress. Under these, 12,630 houses were to be built in places where the beneficiaries already lived.
Apart from grants from the Central and State Governments, low-interest loans were being provided to the beneficiaries to construct the houses.
The Corporation was playing the role of a facilitator than directly constructing the house.
This, according to the civic body, allowed the beneficiaries to go in for a building plan of their choice.
But, some of them were not keen on constructing houses, the Commissioner said.