For slum-free TN, government to build 1.1L houses

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Saturday informed the State Assembly that the government was planning to construct close to 1.1 lakh houses at a cost of about Rs 5,500 crore, across TN under various schemes.

While making the major announcement, Panneerselvam said, “Under Vision-2023 of the Tamil Nadu government, the state plans to form slum-free towns and to fulfil the aim, 1.06 lakh houses would be constructed at the cost of Rs 4,860 crore. Under the scheme, 82,000 individual houses and 24,000 apartments would also be constructed.”

He also said that Tamil Nadu Housing Board (TNHB) will construct 1,253 houses in Sholinganallur, Nolambur, Korattur, Jafferkhanpet, Paranur (all in Chennai) and in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts at a total cost of Rs 349 crore. The Slum Clearance Board will construct 1,152 houses with world class amenities at the cost of Rs 121.01 crore in Perumbakkam, a suburb of Chennai.

TNHB will demolish the existing unusable buildings, belonging to the department, in KK Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur, Nandanam extension, Anna Nagar 3rd avenue road, Chinthamani complex, Anna Nagar 12th main road and in Erode and will construct 303 houses and commercial complexes at a total cost of Rs 150.68 crore.

The Slum Clearance Board will construct 1,000 apartment houses in an area of 500 to 650 square feet per house for the purpose of selling. The houses are targeted for economically weaker section of the society as the houses will be sold at a price lesser than the market value. They will be constructed at the excess land belonging to the Slum Clearance Board.

Apart from constructing new houses, the government will also create plots in the vacant lands in Paranur village near Chengalpattu and Koodalpudhur, Uchapatti village in Madurai district. As per the plan, 1,148 plots would be created at a total cost of Rs 48.21 crore.

TNHB will undertake rebuilding of worn out rental houses of government employees in Gudalur in The Nilgris district. A total of 60 houses will be demolished and new houses will be constructed at a cost of Rs 13 crore.

Panneerselvam also announced that the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) will construct a multi-storey parking facility for bikes and cars near MRTS railway station in Velachery at the cost of Rs 80 crore. The government will also construct a bus stand in Kundampakkam village near Thirumazhisai in an area of 20 acres at the cost of Rs 150 crore.

The government will also install advanced CCTV cameras with face recognition technology in CMBT, Koyambedu and in Madhavaram bus terminus at a total cost of Rs 2.25 crore. The cameras will help in better surveillance and to prevent crime, said Panneerselvam.