Chennai: As part of its efforts to ensure a slum-free Tamil Nadu, the State government has submitted proposals for transforming areas other than Chennai Metropolitan Area, to the Asian Development Bank seeking financial assistance.
Also, the Common Building Rules will be notified shortly to enhance the ease of doing business in the housing sector, Governor Banwarilal Purohit told the Assembly on Wednesday. He said the decision of the Government to raise the Floor Space Index (FSI) would go a long way to make housing more affordable.
The Government has formulated a comprehensive housing project called ‘Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development Project’ to transform slums in Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram Districts with World Bank funding assistance. A similar project would be taken up for areas other than Chennai Metropolitan Areas.
“One of the noteworthy initiatives of this Government is to ensure slum-free cities and hut-free villages in the State. The State has been a forerunner in providing houses to the rural poor through the ‘Chief Minister’s Solar Powered Green House Scheme’ supplementing the efforts under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin),’” he said.
The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB) has so far taken up construction of 5,16,741 dwelling units at a project cost of Rs 21,604 crore under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban)’.
CUMTA Act to be notified on Jan. 16:
The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) Act and its relevant rules will be notified on Jan. 16, to make the integrated functioning of Multi Modal Transportation System a reality.
The phase I of Chennai Metro Rail, to provide world class urban public transport facility in Chennai, is expected to be fully commissioned by January 2019. The Phase-I extension from Washermenpet to Wimco Nagar at an estimated cost of '3,770 crore would be ready for inauguration by June 2020 as scheduled. The State Government has already accorded in-principle approval for the implementation of Phase-II of Chennai Metro Rail Project covering 107.55 km in three corridors.
“I am happy to inform this august House that the Japan International Co-operation Agency has now approved the funding of Rs 20,196 crore for the priority stretches totaling 52 km from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur and Madhavaram to Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT). The loan agreement for the first tranche of approximately Rs 4,770 crore was signed on Dec. 21, 2018 and work will commence shortly,” the Governor said.
