Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 10.06.2009

Draw of lots for urban mission houses begins

Staff Reporter

— Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Draw of lots to allot houses under the JNNURM under way in the city on Tuesday. GVMC Urban Community Development Project Director K. Srikant Prabhakar is at right.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Draw of lots for allotment of houses to beneficiaries under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission began on Tuesday at the Swarnabharathi Indoor Stadium. The draw is only for deciding the houses to be allotted to beneficiaries already selected. Each of the 25 sqm housing unit in the G+3 model costs Rs.1.65 lakhs in which 50 per cent and 20 per cent is Central and State Government subsidy respectively, 10 per cent is beneficiaries’ contribution and 20 per cent bank loan.

The draw began with picking up the flats for residents of Sebastian Colony on computer after randomising the beneficiaries. The computerised lot for the first batch was drawn by one of the benefiriaries.

The draw on Tuesday was meant for residents of 17 colonies, including Sebastian Colony, Kapparada and KRM Colony.

Commissioner B. Sridhar said that the allotment began for residents of various colonies on in situ basis. Of the 15,000 housing units sanctioned under the urban mission, construction of 12,000 started.

Construction of 3,000 units has been completed and 9,000 will be completed by July and August. Mr. Sridhar said there was no involvement of officials as the lots were drawn on computer after randomization.

The allottees would be given slips and their iris photograph would be taken.

The official allotment letter would be given at a public function later. The Commissioner said for 9,000 units the selection of beneficiaries was yet to be taken up. The Urban Community Development Project Director K. Srikant Prabhakar supervised the draw of lots.

Beneficiaries elated

“The wait for own house for the last seven, eight years ended with this allotment,” said a beaming Sk. Jahanna Khatoon who got a house at Sebastian Colony in the draw. They have been promised houses under the earlier VAMBAY scheme after a cyclone affected them.

Forty of the affected got housing around three years ago. Ms. Khatoon said she had so far paid only Rs.5,340 towards the second floor housing unit.

Source : The Hindu Date : 10.06.2009

Work on 3,900 houses nearing completion

G.V.R. Subba Rao

VIJAYAWADA: Nearly after a year, the second round of mass Gruhapravesaalu (housewarming ceremonies) for the houses built for the poor are likely to take place in the city.

As many as 3,900 houses that are being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme are in the final leg of construction.

These houses are likely to be completed in a month, as only internal works like painting and fixing of doors remain unfinished.

It was in July last year that the then Mayor, Mallika Begum, persistently followed up the progress of construction and ensured that two blocks of 32 houses each at Radhanagar in Kundavari Kandrika were inaugurated before she stepped down.

Inordinate delay

After an inordinate delay in the progress of construction for various reasons, including Budameru floods and problems in land acquisition, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials have succeeded in completing nearly 3,900 houses at various places, including Radhanagar, Kandrika, New Rajarajeswaripeta and Vambay colony.

Though common facilities like underground drainage (UGD) have not been completed, the houses would otherwise be ready for occupation.

Mayor M.V. Ratna Bindu says the houses will be ready for occupation in the next couple of months. Most probably, they will be ready by August.

The corporation will give top priority, while allotting these houses, to the families that have been relocated from canal bunds, Krishna riverbed, Padmavathi ghat and other areas, she says.

The corporation has taken up construction of houses under the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP), a sub-mission under JNNURM.

The Union Government has sanctioned 21,752 houses, including 14,968 in Phase-I and 6,784 in Phase-II, for the city under the scheme.

The State Government has sanctioned 14,968 houses in Phase-I and 6,752 houses in Phase-II with a unit cost of Rs.1.32 lakhs and Rs.1.40 lakhs, respectively. Another 1,152 houses are being constructed by the Housing Department.

Of the 19,000 houses being built under JNNURM, works are at various level of progress in respect of 13,000 houses, officials say.

At Gunadala

But the construction of houses at Gunadala is yet to commence. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy laid a foundation stone for the housing here in April last. The works have been stopped due to technical reasons related to site, but are expected to resume soon as the problems have been sorted out, officials say.