Visakhapatnam: VUDA has decided not to take up housing projects in view of the past awful experiences of non-viability among many other reasons.
VUDA, at its board meeting held last Saturday, has passed a resolution in this regard. However, to provide affordable housing for lower income groups, VUDA would build houses in the portion allotted to the economically weaker sections (EWS) in all the layouts.
Owing to the new decision on housing, VUDA had scrapped the proposal of satellite township at Gambheeram.
VUDA, earlier, proposed to build a satellite township with world class amenities in 25 acres at a cost of Rs 133 crore.
The proposal for another such township at Anakapalle, which is at a nascent stage, also stands cancelled.
“Instead of housing, VUDA will develop a layout at Gambheeram in the 25 acres and sell the plots. We will very soon begin the work on it. We also sought a direction from the state government on whether to dispose the plots through draw of lots or auction. Part of the land at Gambheeram layout comes under forest department and we have also applied for land use pattern. Henceforth, VUDA will only develop layouts and dispose plots. We will not take up housing projects,” said VUDA vice chairman Dr N. Yuvaraj.
On the other decisions taken by the VUDA Board, Yuvaraj said that Rs 26 crore was sanctioned to be spent to create infrastructure like roads, drains, electrification and others as promised by the VUDA in the 51 layouts developed by it.
VUDA has also decided to cancel around 34 engineering works which have remained non-starters over the years.
“There are some works which were taken up without preparation or studying about feasibility. Such works have been cancelled to lessen the burden,” he said.
Talking about the YSR Central park that is coming up on the old jail premises, the vice-chairman said they have decided to use less concrete to make it a eco-friendly park and this has reduced the expenditure from Rs 35 crore to Rs 20 crore.
A proposal for a miniature city and jurrasic park at the YSR Park was also scrapped. Instead, an interactive kids zone is planned.
Responding to a report that appeared in these columns a few days back on the allotment of land in MVP Colony to national law university, Yuvaraj clarified that it was only a temporary allotment for the law university to use it as a playground until a full-fledged campus comes up at Pendurthy.
He said there will not be any construction on the land allotted to the national university and it would be accessible to public for at least 60-70 days in a year whenever they want to hold community or any other activities.
Rs 2,170 sft is new cost of flats in Haritha project
Visakhapatnam: VUDA has fixed a price of Rs 2,170 per sft for flats at the much-delayed Haritha housing project.
Though the cost was fixed at Rs 1,790 per sft when the project was launched in 2008, delay in grounding the project had led to escalation of the cost and VUDA has decided to collect the difference amount from the allottees. The project cost is estimated to have gone up by Rs 45 crore.
However, to lessen the burden on the allottees, VUDA vice-chairman N. Yuvaraj said that the interest amount paid by the bank on installments paid by the allottees, since 2008, would be added to the principal amount and the whole amount would be considered as payment so far against the units allotted.
Now, the allottees have to pay the difference amount between the principal amount with the interest so far and the enhanced cost of the unit.
Thus, the allottees are relieved from huge burden of payment. Yuvaraj said the resolution approved by the Board is being communicated to the allottees.
Regarding the available vacant 42 flats in Haritha, Yuvaraj said notification will be issued in January, calling for applications.
The cost per sft would be Rs 2,600 for the 42 vacant flats. Four HIG units, 32 MIG units and six LIG units are vacant, he added.
The Board further approved for preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) on outer ring road to Visakhapatnam.
A proposal to develop ORR starting from Payakaraopeta on the national highway on southern side passing via Anakapalle, Relli in Kothavalasa mandal, Vizianagaram is under consideration, in view of the increasing importane of the city at international level under Transit Oriented Growth Roads concept.
A proposal to take up preparation of the coastal zone management plan (CZMP) has also been approved by the Board and soon the process will begin.
