Date:28/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/28/stories/2008052859910400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Upgrading of slums in local bodies under way

K. Lakshmi

It is part of Basic Services for Urban Poor scheme
Rs.72,000 given to each applicant for new construction

CHENNAI: Work to upgrade the slums in Ambattur and Madhavaram municipalities as part of the Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme is under way.

In Ambattur municipality, nearly Rs.93 lakh has been distributed to 414 beneficiaries to either construct houses or repair the existing houses in five slum areas.

A municipality official said of the total beneficiaries, 295 have been provided with assistance to construct new houses.

A grant of Rs.72,000 was provided to each of the applicants for new construction and about Rs.40,000 for house renovation under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Four instalments

It is being provided in four instalments during the construction process, he said. While about 20 beneficiaries have finished building new houses, about 60 houses are nearing completion.

Nearly Rs.1.90 crore is estimated to be spent on improving the infrastructure in the slum areas, including Periyar Nagar in Padi, Kalaivanar Nagar in Anna Nagar Western Extension and Oragadam.

Improvement works

The improvement works include provision of street lights, roads, culvert and stormwater drain facility.

Works would begin in mid-June as at least 50 per cent of the construction work must be completed in the area concerned for infrastructure development, the official added.

Grant for renovation

Similarly, 433 beneficiaries at the Madhavaram municipality have received Rs.34 lakh for building or renovating houses.

A municipality official said of the Rs.5.42 crore provided by the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, the State nodal agency for BSUP scheme, nearly Rs.3.46 crore has been allotted towards the distribution of the grant to the beneficiaries.

The applicants from 19 slum areas, including Peria Sekkadu, Udayar Thottam and Madura Mettupalayam, were being provided with financial assistance since five months.

Tenders floated

Tenders have been floated to improve the basic infrastructure facilities such as roads and street lights.

Other local bodies in Tiruvottiyur and Kathivakkam, were utilising the fund to improve infrastructure in the slum areas.