Y.S. RANA , CHANDIGARH—Blame it on the Chandigarh Administration or the Chandigarh Housing Board, houses for slum dwellers of Chandigarh will become dearer before they enter their dream houses. The dream project of 24,000 odd families at Dhanas has yet not been realized because of non-provision of civic amenities and other infrastructures.
The ambitious slum rehabilitation project incurs a loss of Rs 80 lakh per month to the Administration in lieu of license fee. On the other allottees have to shell more from their pockets as the Chandigarh Administration has proposed to increase license fee from Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 before making allotment. Besides they will pay extra for electricity and water tariff, Thus, the tenement will cost them approximately at Rs 1500 per month.
When talking to Superintending Engineer, Chandigarh Housing Board, Mr Sunil Kumar said that the board was only a nodal agency and the construction work of tenements (around 8300) was assigned to them. The board has completed construction work and added that the board has nothing to do with the enhancement of license fee and allotment of tenements.
However, possession could not be handed over to the beneficiaries in the backdrop of the non-provision of civic amenities. The Ministry of Urban Development had cleared the proposal of setting up Rs 15,43 crore STP only in 2009. The Engineering Department, UT prepared a feasibility report for providing SWD line; provision of sewer line and construction of 10 MLD sewage treatment plant in November 2009. In the meantime, the Administration has taken up the provision of civic amenities such as roads, sewer, water supply and other infrastructure to complete the already delayed project.
An official of the Estate Office stated that in 2006 it had conducted a survey and found 23,841 families resided in 18 slum colonies dotting the length and breadth of Chandigarh. The Administration has identified eight locations for housing the slum dwellers under the “Slum Rehabilitation Scheme” to make Chandigarh slum-free city by 2010. “As yet dwelling units have not been handed over to the office for allotment,” said the official.
But sources inside the Administration stated that work to provide infrastructures had been assigned to the Chandigarh Engineering Department. The hike in license fee would be calculated after the final cost of the project is worked out,” he added. As soon as the developmental work there was completed the allotment would be made, said the source. A number of ambitious housing schemes of Chandigarh Administration are running behind schedule and escalating the cost of construction.
The Board has constructed 4-storey dwelling units on an area of 130 acres comprising of 2112 plots with average plot area of 44.86 square yards. Each unit comprises a built-up area of 425 square feet with accommodation of one room, kitchen, bath, WC and verandah. EOM