The Times of India 04.10.2013
VUDA nod for rehab of shoddy housing schemes
VADODARA: The Vadodara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) board on Thursday cleared the plan for the rehabilitation of the residents of Madhavnagar and Keshavnagar housing schemes in Atladara built by it for the urban poor. Eleven persons had died after two blocks collapsed at Madhavnagar while the houses at Keshavnagar were in a dangerous condition.
The plan comes over a month after the Madhavnagar tragedy that took place on August 28 and close on the heels of the second incident of portions to two more vacated blocks collapsing there on September 27. The authority had been mulling several formulas so far, but it had become evident that it would go on the public-private partnership (PPP) mode to avoid major infrastructure costs.
Madhavnagar had 458 dwelling units while Keshavnagar had 266 making it necessary for VUDA to provide 724 houses to beneficiaries. VUDA chairman N V Patel said that the affected persons would be rehabilitated at their existing sites. "We will not relocate them," Patel said. Even the residents had been averse to the idea of any relocation.
The board meeting on Thursday resolved that the residents should be given houses with built up areas of 25 square metre (sq m) instead of the existing 22.25 sq m houses. The houses will be made using RCC frame structures and not the load bearing technology. A common bid will be brought out for both the schemes indicating that the same developer will handle work at the two colonies.
A committee has been formed to prepare the PPP model for the project. Patel said that the board has decided that the developer will be identified by the second week off November and will have to complete the project within one year of being awarded the work order.
A committee has been also formed to look into the temporary resettlement of the residents of the two housing societies. The developer will also have to bear the expenses of the alternative arrangements till the beneficiaries are given the new houses. Till this happens the present arrangements at both the colonies will continue.
