SMC sanctions Rs.879 cr for EVS housing

In an attempt to build well oiled road network within its jurisdiction, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has initiated work on building 7,500 new homes for people from economically weaker sections at the cost of Rs.879 crore. This will be the first project for low cost housing under the public, private partnership (PPP) model by the civic body. Letters of intent have been issued to private builders at four locations in the city under Prime Minister‘s housing scheme program. Six settlements in Anjana area of Limbayat zone were chosen for this rehabilitation which include Anwarnagar, Ambedkarnagar, Halpati Vas, Khwaja Nagar, Vivekanand Nagar, and Umiyanagar. Nearly 1.30 lakh sqm of land will be used and all 7,500 hut dwellers would get a new 25 sqm two-room-kitchen house in high-rise buildings. Currently, private builders are conducting survey and will provide list of eligible hutments. They would also provide transit accommodation to the dwellers till these new houses are built, said an SMC official that the builders would get freehold rights of the remaining land or that of flats and would also get transferable development rights (TDR) in SMC or SUDA area in lieu of constructing the targeted housing stock.