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Slum Development / Housing

State says no to funding civic body’s housing project for the poor

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 10:53 administrator
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Indian Express 10.03.2010

State says no to funding civic body’s housing project for the poor

Express News Service Tags : housing, pune Posted: Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 at 0402 hrs

Pune: The state government refusal to fund the ambitious low-income housing (LIG) project initiated by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has come as a blow to the civic body.

A total of 6,720 tenements were scheduled to be built in the first phase of the project, for which the state government was supposed to give Rs 33.72 crore to PCMC, from which it has now backed out. It has sent a letter to PCMC expressing its inability to pay up the money due to paucity of funds. Opposition parties have criticised the ruling NCP, saying that the people will suffer as the prices of houses will now go up.

Shiv Sena corporator Shrirang Barne said, “We always supported the idea of low cost housing, but the LIG project was a failure from the first day as it is not pratically possible to provide a flat at Rs. 1.5 lakh, the price of which may now go upto Rs 3 lakh. The ruling party publicised the project just to get publicity. PCMC should have acted realistically while planning the project. Now that the state government has refused to pay its share, PCMC would now have to foot the bills for which it would take loan. It is shocking that though there is a coalition of the NCP at the Centre and they also rule PCMC, they cannot get funds for the project. This project shows a lack of vision and planning on the part of the ruling party and former municipal commissioner.”

PCMC started work on the LIG project, after it was approved under JNNURM.

The PCMC has planned to construct houses admeasuring 550 sq ft for people from low economic backround, which would be available to them at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh. The initial cost of the project was pegged at Rs 450 crore, the proposal of which was put up before the Centre former civic chief Dilip Band and was subsequently approved.

As many as 77,044 people had applied to PCMC for getting houses under the LIG project. From these, the applications of 15,886 were approved, the announcements regarding which were made in June 2008.PCMC officials said that a total of Rs. 475 crore was approved by the LIG housing project under JNNURM. The central government gave the first installment of 56.21 crore in March 2008. The PCMC floated tenders of Rs 262 crore for first two phases of the project. But the state government did not pay up its share of Rs. 34 crore. Later, the state government conveyed its inability to fund the project due to paucity of funds. So, the PCMC decided to take a loan of Rs 200 crore from HUDCO for completing the project. The work on constructing 160 buildings at Chikhali has started. The building would be seven stories each consisting of 42 flats of 550 sq feet. Around 6,720 flats will be constructed in the next two years.

PCMC officials said that the rates of all raw materials have gone up in the past two years and so has the cost of the project. Contractors are demanding increased rates and so the price of each LIG house is expected to go upto Rs 3 lakh.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 11:05
 

Urban areas get biggest piece of the pie

Saturday, 06 March 2010 11:22 administrator
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The New Indian Express 06.03.2010

Urban areas get biggest piece of the pie

Express News Service

 

BANGALORE: Chief Minister Yeddyurappa has side-stepped the expected Bangalore package aimed at upcoming civic body elections in the state’s capital, choosing instead to include Bangalore’s goodies in the bigger hamper of the Mukhyamantri Nagarothana Yogane, a policy statement on ‘campaign for city development’.

At 4,748.80 crore, the 15 per cent sectoral allocation for urban development is the highest sectoral allocation in the state Budget presented on Friday; others beat it only in combinations like agriculture, rural development and irrigation.

About Rs 600 crore is proposed to be spent on specific development programmes in the urban local bodies beginning this year. The government proposes to spend Rs 1,000 crore annually for the development of large, medium and small towns.

About 50,000 houses for the houseless ubran dweller have been promised at a unit price of Rs 1.25 lakh; while the middle class urban dweller will be served by the ‘Namma Mane’ housing scheme.

The government has proposed GIS mapping of properties in 10 cities. The work is currently on in 5 cities.

The urban development policy that the government has been working on over the last few months. There is no mention of urban reforms per se - not even the expected urban propety title certification scheme. The train of government’s thoughts is left to be gathered from the academic push to urban development and the plans to go in for GIS mapping of properties in some 10 more cities.

A sum of Rs 5 crore is mentioned for a post graduate study centre on urban development under the Vishweshwaraiah Technological University. Dr A Ravindra the Urban Affars Advisor to chief minister said that it is envisaged as a capicity building exercise.

Mukhyamantri Nagarothana Yogane seems to come as a parallel state-level programme to the National Urban Renewal Mission.

Chief minister has promised to increase the allocation for Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) and the ULBs based on the recommendation of the Third State Finance Commission and a total of Rs 920 crore is allotted for housing programmes.

Last Updated on Saturday, 06 March 2010 11:24
 

DU hitch for Metro’s 14-storey housing complex

Monday, 01 March 2010 07:45 administrator
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Hindustan Times 01.03.2010

DU hitch for Metro’s 14-storey housing complex

The DMRC plans to build a 14-storey residential complex near the Metro station at DU. The University authorities, however, feel the multi-storey building will vitiate the campuses’ tranquil atmosphere.

The DMRC wants to build the 14-storey building next to a 3.05 hectare plot near the Vishwavidyalaya Metro station for property development. The plot, allotted to DMRC by DDA, is presently used as a parking lot.

“The building will be totally out of character with the University’s ambience,” said Deepak Pental, DU Vice Chancellor. “It will also lead to traffic snarls. We already have a huge traffic problem.”

Pental has written to DDA to stop the project. “We also believe that DMRC has not sought the Delhi Urban Arts Commission’s permission,” he said. The DUAC’s permission is mandatory for the construction of a multi-storey building in the city.

“We are not going to build a huge residential complex. The building will have only 140-odd flats and will not affect the University’s serenity,” DMRC spokesman Anuj Dayal said. “Two DMRC chief engineers have met the DU authorities and have assured that we are following regulations,” he said.

“As for traffic, provision of parking will be taken care of during construction,” he said.

“DU needs hostels and auditoriums, not such residential complexes. This will vitiate the campus atmosphere,” said Subhash Chopra, MLA and Member, DDA.

The housing project is facing problems on another front, too. According to DDA’s composite development control norms, the DMRC is allowed only up to 25 per cent ground coverage and 100 Floor Area Ratio to build a residential complex. However, the DMRC needs 33 per cent ground coverage and 200 FAR to build a 14-storey building.

The issue was debated in a DDA meeting on February 17 and non-official members raised a hue and cry against the project. DMRC’s Managing Director E. Sreedharan was also present in the meeting.

“We had written to DDA in 2007 and had said we can go ahead with the project and had given a clearance for 200 FAR. After this, we floated and awarded the tender in 2008,” Dayal said. “When we went to the MCD, they referred the issue to DDA. Now, DDA is saying only 100 FAR will be allowed.”

DMRC has already taken Rs 100 crore from the bidder and will get Rs 100 crore more later. However, if the project gets hampered, it will be a huge setback for the corporation.

DMRC said the property development project is important as it will generate much needed revenue for the fast-expanding metro network. “World over 50 per cent additional FAR is allowed near metro lines so more people can stay there and utilise the system. Without 200 FAR, the project will become unviable,” he said.

Last Updated on Monday, 01 March 2010 07:48
 
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