Monday, April 30, 2012

Govt to demolish 2,000 dilapidated flats, to build new ones


C Shivakumar
Chennai:
Plans are on to demolish more than 2,000 dilapidated flats of Tamil Nadu Government Rental Housing flats in 17 places of the city and reconstruct new ones, sources said.

Sources told Express that there are proposals to reconstruct more than 4,500 units after demolishing 2,000 flats with more floor space index at a cost of more than Rs 650 crore.

Sources said initially plans are to redevelop flats at Todhunter Nagar and Llyods Colony and a proposal will be submitted soon in this regard, sources added.

Sources also said that engineers from TNHB will be carrying out repair works in some of the old buildings but refused to divulge details.
Sources also revealed a total of 5,983 flats across the state, including 118 flats from Chennai, are lying vacant under Tamil Nadu Government Servants Rental Housing Scheme.

Interestingly, the highest number of flats lying vacant are in Coimbatore (1,451) followed by Madurai (1,157) while Chennai accounts for a total of 118 unoccupied flats.

Surprisingly, the figures are shocking as a Technical group appointed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation estimates the housing shortage in urban areas in Tamil Nadu at 28.2 lakh. As per this study, Tamil Nadu accounts for an estimated 11 per cent of housing shortage in India.

While sources blame the unoccupied flats for lack of demand from government staff because many of them built own houses, it is also believed that the high rentals of the flats are one of the reasons for it being vacant. Sources state that the rentals are higher than the private rentals due to the revision of sixth pay commission in moffusil areas.
 Sources also revealed that Tamil Nadu Housing Board has an estimate of 6,000 unsold units worth around 1,500 crore. These include flats, plots houses as well as commercial units. Sources say these include more than 1,500 commercial units worth more than Rs 1200 crore.

Box:
  • Coimbatore Housing Unit                   1451
          Madurai Housing Unit                         1157
      Chennai City                                         118

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