The Times of India             04.10.2013

Lucknow Development Authority to offer lift facility in apartments for poor

LUCKNOW: Lucknow Development Authority has decided to now build 12 floor multistoried buildings for economically weaker section. These flats would have elevator (lift) facility also. The scheme would start from Kabir Nagar Yojna of Para. LDA's VC AP Tewari has given his approval for the same.

Under this scheme, for Lower Income Group (LIG) and Economically Weaker section (EWS), LDA plans to build a total 2112 flats. Earlier it was decided make these flats only up to four floors. However with lift facility being added, the number of stories in the apartment has been increased to 12. This has certainly increased the project cost for LDA.

LDA is not planning to take this cost directly from poor people. It has decided to put the excess financial burden on bigger flats. Earlier too, LDA has been building 3-story flats for poor people. They were not making multistoried buildings for them until now as it would require lift facility which would increase the project significantly. It is necessary to provide at least two lifts in each block. It also needs large money for lifts' maintenance in future.

LDA has taken the responsibility to look after the maintenance of these apartments on its own. It is providing money for this through its special funds. The project would require almost Rs 125 crore from funds. From this fund, LDA would get Rs 1 lakh per month as interest from this fund. The same interest amount would be used to for repair and maintenance of the project. Hence the financial burden of the upkeep would not be passed on to the poor inmates of these apartments.

Fortunately, economically weaker residents of these buildings would also not have to pay any maintenance fee to the authority. The design would be - 2112 flats would eb made in 11 blocks. Each block would have two lift facilities. Each black would comprise 92 flats.

LDA said a total of 22 lifts would be installed in the LIG and EWS flats proposed under this scheme. The cost has shot up tremendously after adding elevators to the project.

The Para project is recommended on a pilot basis. Whatever excess cost is being calculated, that would be imposed on owners of biger flats, said an LDA official.