Think India Foundation

Managing Indian cities

The Indian Institute for Human Settlements(IIHS) is accepting applications for its 'Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD )' scheduled to run from September 2013 to August 2014. The PWP-UD is an, inter-disciplinary , practice-based programme that allows participants to build upon their existing backgrounds to specialise in urban practice. 

Taught by a diverse faculty of leading academics and practitioners, it is designed to focus on applied learning and skill-development necessary for finding effective, sustainable and integrated solutions to problems facing Indian cities. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

GDA to implement schemes for urban poor

LUCKNOW: Training their eyes on the urban poor this time, the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has approved 29 proposals that are expected to benefit the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and farmers residing in the region.

According to an announcement made by the GDA vice chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, the latest proposal entails a payment of Rs 3500 per sq metre, equivalent to 6% farmers of the developed plot, from the total acquired area. According to existing plans, GDA will also enforce an existing affordable housing scheme, under which builders will allot 10% of the total flats constructed to Low Income Group (LIG) and EWS families. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mumbai takes the lead in green housing projects

Mumbai : Quicker govt clearance is drawing more developers to plan environment-friendly buildings.

More green residences are coming up in Mumbai over the past couple of years  since the state has made it easier for these projects; higher costs may not be an issue much longer. 

According to experts with the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), of the 2 billion square feet of green construction projects across the country, a quarter are registered in Mumbai. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

NGO claims lacunae in draft Development Plan of PMC

Pointing out serious lacunae in various studies undertaken by PMC to prepare the draft Development Plan, city-based organisation Parisar has alleged that several urban planning norms were flouted in drafting the DP for the old part of the city.

In its 30-page report on suggestions and objections, the organisation has highlighted serious lacunae and mistakes in Existing Land Use (ELU) Study , Demographic Study, Housing Study and Transport Study conducted by the civic administration. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Punjab & Haryana HC slams civic bodies for not completing development works

GURGAON: Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday issued notice to the state government, director general of town and country planning (DTCP), Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), Haryana Urban Development Authority(HUDA) and others for not completing the external and internal development works at residential colonies within the given time frame. The court has directed them to file a report before August 19.

The court issued notice on the basis of a petition filed by the Gurgaon Citizens' Council (GCC) after the state government and other parties concerned despite the directions issued by the apex court issued tax demand to the petitioner. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

IHDSPs housing benefits over 23,000 families in MP

BHOPAL: So far, 23,000 houses have been constructed for poor urban slum dwellers under Integrated Housing and Slums Development Programme ( IHDSP), according to a press release here on Tuesday. 

Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme targets the poor living conditions of slums and clusters in cities and mofussil towns and attempts to improve the housing stock and basic infrastructure and coverage service delivery to the poor. The programme runs on a project mode. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Slums turn haven for consumer firms

Mumbai : About 6% of India's population, or about 7.2 crore people, live in slums, according to the 2011 census.

Consumer companies have been going that extra mile to tap rising incomes and product awareness in hinterlands.

However, they need not go that far as a huge potential lay in the backyard: city slums. 
With products like Maggi noodles also becoming a staple for slum kids and branded talcum powder, hair oils household items, a huge entry-level premium product market awaits consumer firms, according to a report by Ritika Mankar Mukherjee, research analyst of Ambit Capital. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

Lodha group hopes customers will bite at top end of market

The developer is busy promoting its World Towers project that it claims will be the tallest residential building in the world

Lodha group says nearly 60% of the World Towers project has been sold. Photo: Sanjay Borade/Mint

Mumbai: Lodha Developers Ltd, which specializes in upscale apartments for the super rich, is busy promoting a tower in Worli in Mumbai that it claims will be the tallest residential building in the world, ensuring that residents are situated far above the urban snarl after having paid around Rs.12.5 crore for the privilege.

The breathless tone of the advertising for World Crest may not necessarily convince those who can afford such accommodations. Read more

Source : www.livemint.com

Urban art body unhappy with move to turn Kidwai Nagar flats into high-rises

New Delhi : To tide over the acute shortage of housing for government officials in the Capital, the Urban Development Ministry plans to redevelop many dilapidated and low-rise government housing colonies that were built in the 1950s and 60s into high rises. Architects, town planners and urban designers in the city, however, feel the plan needs to be relooked into.

As part of the plan, a part of Moti Bagh in south Delhi was recently redeveloped into New Moti Bagh with majority being bungalows to house top government officials. Next in line are colonies such as Kidwai Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar, RK Puram and Srinivaspuri. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Civic body survey of 35% slums complete in Aurangabad

AURANGABAD: The Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has completed more than 35% of the survey of the city's slums as part of the first phase of the Rajiv Awas Yojna (RAY). 

AMC executive engineer Sikandar Ali on Sunday said the rest of the survey would be completed in the next six months. "As part of the Rajiv Awas Yojana, the government conducts a socio-economic survey of slum dwellers. Other procedures carried out include the issuance of biometric identity cards, generation of web-enabled database, development of maps and preparation of slum rehabilitation plans. The government will plan a housing scheme for slum dwellers after all the other procedures are completed," Ali said. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Power elite used land sale to give themselves a new New Delhi

New Delhi : Delhi's power elite have a new address in New Moti Bagh, a gated complex complete with Lutyens-inspired bungalows, manicured lawns, smooth roads, multi-storey apartment blocks, a club house, a market area with ATMs, Mother Dairy and Safal outlets, even a play school.

123-acre complex houses state ministers, judges, top officials 

But few know that this residential complex, spread over 123 acres and home to state ministers, judges, secretaries and joint secretaries, has been built from proceeds of the sale of three acres of government land to the Leela Palace hotel in Chanakyapuri in 2007. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Hudco slashes lending rates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd (Hudco) effected a significant reduction in its lending rates for government and public sector borrowers for various housing and infrastructure development projects. A reduction of 25 basis points has been effected in respect of its entire housing portfolio covering economically weaker sections, low income groups, middle income groups and all other categories of housing. With this reduction, the EWS and LIG category housing projects would get loans from Hudco at 8 per cent to 8.5 per cent. The reduction also includes land acquisition for housing purposes.

The interest rates have been reduced for core infrastructure projects also covering water supply, sewerage, drainage, solid waste management, urban/city roads and social infrastructure. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

40,000 low-cost flats to be built for urban poor

NEW DELHI: Delhi Government on Saturday approved a long-pending proposal to construct around 40,000 low-cost flats in the capital for distribution among urban poor. 

In a meeting chaired by chief minister Sheila Dikshit, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) also announced to allot 14,000 low cost flats by September. For a year now, the board had been sitting on the distribution of these 14,000 flats, constructed under JNNURM, and around 48,000 flats which are still under construction. "DUSIB has already chalked out a schedule to organize camps for determining eligibility and the houses will be allotted shortly. It has been clearing around 200 cases every day. The schedule for the month of May and June has been prepared. This will involve around 30 clusters, wherein more than 3900 cases are to be cleared for allotment on in-situ basis. Residents in clusters are being informed and educated so that they can come prepared with necessary documents," said Dikshit. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Tata’s new residential project in Bhubaneswar

The gated community, christened Ariana, will offer one, two and three BHK units at a tentative price tag beginning Rs 27 lakh

Tata Housing Development Company has launched Ariana, Bhubaneswar’s first integrated residential complex at Shankarpur. Read more

Source : www.mydigitalfc.com

HUDCO, NCW team up to improve facilities for Vrindavan widows

New Delhi : To improve the living condition of widows in Vrindavan and Mathura, HUDCO and National Commission of Women (NCW) have joined hands. 

Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd, a Government of India Undertaking, and NCW today signed an agreement under which Hudco will provide its expertise and services for reconstruction of existing structures where women in distress are housed. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Despite success stories, most cities still offer a dark reality

While the majority of Indians still live in rural areas, this, too, is changing fast. From 1970 to 2010, India's urban population grew by 250 million. The next quarter-billion will be added in half that time. By 2030, 70 per cent of India's GDP will come from its cities.

But cities are simply unable to cope with the influx of migrants on the current scale. The fast-growing metropolises of India, China, Brazil, and other major emerging economies offer plenty of jobs, but basic amenities are lacking; as a result, many of the urban poor live in slums, without adequate health care, water supplies, or electricity. Read more

Source : www.timesofoman.com

National Campaign 'Humara Bachpan' Launched in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Every child has a right to live in a safer and healthier living condition so as the children living in urban poverty said Mr. Devi Prasad Mishra, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Odisha launching “Humara Bachpan” a national campaign on young children living in urban poverty, Shri Mishra assured the support of his department in building safe and healthy physical environment for children.

On this occasion Padmashri Jockin Arputham, a Magsaysay Awardee & President, International Slum Federation emphasised on a child friendly neighbourhood which could be guaranteed by providing access to housing and basic services to the urban poor with practical planning. Read more

Source : indiaeducationdiary.in

Mumbai HC to hear PIL on night shelters for the homeless

MUMBAI: Bombay high court will hear today public interest litigation seeking direction to the state government to set up night shelters for the homeless. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha will hear a petition filed by NGO Homeless Collective, alleging that state government had made false submissions to Supreme Court on the number and conditions of the shelters in Mumbai. SC in 2010 had mandated setting up of year round night shelters while hearing a petition on urban malnourishment. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Civic apathy leaves Mayawati's dream project parched

VARANASI: Barely three years after the allotment of flats under Kanshiram Shehri Garib Awas Yojana (KSGAY), the majority of beneficiaries have started struggling to procure potable water, though overhead tanks exist in this colony. 

The KSGAY was said to be a dream project of former chief minister Mayawati. During the BSP regime, 3000 flats were built in Varanasi in two phases near the central jail premises and more than 5000 people live in these flats. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

One big quake and 9.7L bldgs in Mumbai may collapse vulnerable to earthquake

New Delhi : Around 250 million buildings across the country have been declared vulnerable to a big earthquake and can come crashing down.

Around 250 million buildings across the country have been declared vulnerable to a big earthquake and can come crashing down. The Building Material and Technology Promotion Council has submitted a report to the home and urban poverty alleviation (HUPA) ministry, saying Mumbai and Delhi have the maximum number of these vulnerable buildings.

The council’s report says 976,597 buildings in Mumbai are vulnerable to an earthquake of magnitude six and above on the Richter scale; while 3,379,956 buildings in Delhi are at risk to a temblor of seven and over on the Richter scale. Read more

Source : www.dnaindia.com

Guwahati to expand by 66 sq km: Neog

GUWAHATI – The Guwahati Development Department (GDD) plans to expand Guwahati by another 66 square kilometers to accommodate the city’s rapid growth and development.

Announcing this during the inaugural ceremony of the three-day ARIEDA Realty Expo-2013 at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre, Ajanta Neog, Minister for PWD and GDD, said that a committee had been formed to resolve differences of opinion about issues relating to building permission with builders and others associated with the industry. Read more

Source : www.assamtribune.com

NCP targets CM on expensive MHADA flats, delayed Mumbai Metro

Mumbai: Targeting Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, NCP on Thursday asked him to direct the state housing body MHADA to lower prices of flats in this year's lottery, and demanded a clear statement on when the under-construction Mono-rail and Metro rail in Mumbai would start operating.

Speaking to reporters here, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the rich can purchase flats at any cost, but government housing schemes were for the poor. "MHADA should ensure that there are affordable houses for the poor and the middle classes," he said. Read more

Source : zeenews.india.com

Top state official to probe Mumbra building crash

Mumbai : Almost a month after a building collapsed in Shil Phata in Mumbra killing 74 people, the state government issued directives to conduct an investigation by a single-member panel of additional chief secretary (ACS).

The urban development department headed by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan issued a government resolution (GR) to this effect on April 26. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Will polls improve flood-victims’ lot?

HUBLI : Most of the houses constructed under the flagship Aasare scheme of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the villages of Kongawad and Aratti in Navalgund taluk of Dharwad district remain unoccupied. They stretch out in long lines of small yellow boxes baking under the hot April sun. The few that have been occupied have been extended with tin sheets or thatch to form sheds to accommodate a family’s cattle and other belongings. These are villages built to rehabilitate victims of the floods that ravaged several north Karnataka districts in October 2009, claiming 229 lives and reducing thousands of villages to rubble.

These houses built under the Aasare scheme in Navalgund taluk of Dharwad district were meant for victims of the October 2009 floods. File Photo: Kiran Bakale

“The houses were ready two years after the floods, and it took another year for it to be formally inaugurated,” said Neelappa Jakkanavar, a farmer with two acres, who lives with his wife and three children in his small house. People have not moved in because though pipes have been laid there is no water. For large families the 260-sq.-ft space is insufficient. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Govt to allocate 7,000 EWS houses by June

New Delhi : Pre-poll move Surveys being conducted in jhuggi jhopri clusters across city to identify beneficiaries.

More than five years after around 14,000 houses meant for economically weaker sections (EWS) of society were built and still remain unused, the Delhi government has fast-tracked housing allocations. With the Assembly elections around the corner, the government hopes to allocate at least 7,000 EWS houses by the end of June and complete the remaining before September. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority okays new GDR, leaves window to use old one

Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) has approved the new general development regulation (GDR) for Ahmedabad and its provisions have been implemented from Wednesday. However, the authority has decided to leave a window of 15 days for people to get their plans approved as per old GDR provisions. 

 

The new GDR is divided into four parts – heritage zone, residential affordable housing zone, central business district and general GDR. Auda has provided more floor space index (FSI) – construction area – in the new GDR but also enabled stringent parking and margin regulations. Read more

Source : daily.bhaskar.com

Risks without returns

External commercial borrowing for low-cost housing is a bad idea

It has been reported that a high-level committee of officials from the finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India is due to meet soon in order to consider whether affordable or low-cost housing projects can access more external commercial borrowing, after being treated like "infrastructure" sectors. It makes economic sense for traditional infrastructure companies, such as those building highways or pipelines, to obtain financing at lower rates and for longer time periods, as infrastructure development is not like most other investments - a large number of people share the benefits, making it hard to keep out free riders and thus equally hard to fund; there are high externalities for local entrepreneurs and business; and the initial investment can sometimes be recovered only in decades. Housing in general, while it does have considerable social and economic externalities, does not feature the exclusion or the free rider problem. Nor do companies see pay-offs in the same decades-long time frames as do real infrastructure firms. The economic logic to treating them identically is shaky.

On the other hand, current real estate companies have been signally unable to take advantage of the demand for affordable housing. According to the Report of the Working Group on Financing Urban Infrastructure for the 12th Five-Year Plan, 99 per cent of the housing shortage of 24.7 million units at the end of the 10th Plan was related to low-income groups. The financing required for affordable housing during the 12th Plan, the report concludes, is Rs 8.5 lakh crore, of which Rs 2 lakh crore is needed for building and upgrading the surrounding infrastructure. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

R 267-crore 'largesse' for private developers

Chandigarh : While farmers are a happy lot after getting Rs. 1.35 crore per acre during the land acquisition process for housing projects, panchayats have been deprived of their legitimate share from the common pathways between farm holdings. 

The money in question in two blocks of SAS Nagar district, Majri and Kharar, stands at Rs. 267 crore for 198 acres of net area of the pathways dividing the fields acquired by private colonisers. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com 

K'taka Polls: Money, alcohol flow freely in Bangalore slums

Bangalore : Come elections, slums spread across India's IT hub wear festive look. As state is all set to vote for Karnataka Assembly Elections 2013 slated on May 5, money, freebies and alcohol are flowing freely in the slum areas of the city.

Slum-dwellers have suddenly become much sought after by political parties of all hues with loads of cash to lure them to election rallies. Many of the slum dwellers openly admitted that their vote would go to those doling out more money. Read more

Source : news.oneindia.in

Govt bungalows in Lutyens’ zone in line for a facelift

New Delhi : For decades the Lutyens' Bungalows Zone has been popular for its aesthetics and planning, but these bungalows too have crossed their age limit and are now in urgent need for repair.

Home to ministers, members of Parliament and senior bureaucrats, the 588 government bungalows in Lutyens' zone are in line for redevelopment work. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

Aakriti Aquacity Shipra project underway

BHOPAL: The newly launched Aakriti Aquacity Shipra is the 2BHK modern township for the residents, with all contemporary amenities like modular kitchens and unique water systems for each household. Besides closed and covered campus it has facilities like ATM, wi-fi zone, school, jogging track etc. 

The 2 BHK Shipra apartments in Aqua City township, located at Hoshangabad Bypass Road is planned and designed after in-depth study and understanding of the complete life to give the inhabitants an unmatched experience of the urban life. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Land shortage cloud on housing scheme

Lucknow : Unavailability of land may affect the Aasra housing scheme for the urban poor, which the Akhilesh Yadav government had launched after closing Kanshiram Shahri Garib Awas Yojna of the previous Mayawati government last year.

After 10 months of surveys across the state, only 20 of the 75 districts have sent reports of availability of land. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

ECB norms likely to be relaxed for low cost housing, infra

New Delhi : This will allow Indian companies access cheaper funds abroad

The government may further ease norms for raising funds through the external commercial borrowing (ECB) window, particularly for low-cost housing and infrastructure sectors like telecom and ports. This will allow Indian companies access cheaper funds abroad.
 
The finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India officials are likely to meet this week to consider ECB relaxation for these sectors so that capital flows can be attracted into the country, especially at a time when the widening current account deficit (CAD) has become a reason for the government’s worry. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Delhi Lokayukta to launch probe into unauthorised colonies issue

New Delhi: At a time when Delhi government is strongly pushing for regularisation of over 1,600 unauthorised colonies, home to around 60 lakh people, Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin has decided to launch a detailed probe into alleged irregularities in the process initiated for their regularisation.

The investigation will also focus on the alleged nexus between land grabbers and politicians, sources said.

The decision by the Lokayukta came after Lt Governor Tejendra Khanna in March asked him to file a final report on the politically sensitive matter for taking appropriate action. The Lokayukta had earlier sent an interim report to Khanna and recommended issuance of an advisory to the Urban Development department of Delhi government finding it guilty of "en-masse" grant of provisional regularisation certificates to the unauthorised colonies without proper verification. Read more

Source : ibnlive.in.com

Punjab slums rise to success

CHANDIGARH: Punjab's slum dwellers are no more the have-nots of society. The latest data on slums in the state has thrown up startling facts - four out of every five slum households possess a television, three out of every four households have a telephone, 4.3% own a laptop with internet access and 7% have computers without internet, every third house has a two-wheeler and 7.3% of the populace owns cars.

Life in the slums of Punjab might not be cushy but these are thriving hotspots for business as well. Punjab has 14.2% of slums in the urban areas - out of 143 statutory towns in Punjab, 71 have slums spread over 18 districts in the state. The census data shows that slums are vibranteconomic clusters and entrepreneurial hubs where the poor are climbing up the ladder of opportunity and income. In Punjab, 17.7% of the slum houses are being used for non-residential purposes such as shop, office, hotel, lodge, hospital and dispensary. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

BDO among three booked for corruption in Indira Awas yojna

An FIR has been lodged against three persons, including a Block Development Officer (BDO), for allegedly accepting bribe money in Indira Awas Yojna in Bihar's East Champaran district. 

On the direction of District Magistrate Vinay Kumar, the FIR has been registered against Banjaria BDO Sanjeet Kumar, member of block samiti Vindhyanchal Prasad Yadav and Manager of Phulwar branch of Allahabad yesterday, official sources said. Read more

Source : www.business-standard.com

Housing dream or nightmare?

We need a tough regulator to rein in unscrupulous real estate builders.

Builders enter into one-sided contracts with home buyers. — P.V. Sivakumar

The recent collapse of a residential building in Thane, Maharashtra, that killed 74 and left more than 60 injured underscores the urgency of bringing a tough regulator for the real estate sector. Read more

Source : www.thehindubusinessline.com

Rating system for green buildings launched

MUMBAI: Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), part of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has launched a first-of-its-kind rating system to address sustainability aspects in existing buildings. 

The rating tool facilitates building owners and facility managers in implementation of green building strategies, measure their impacts and sustain the performance in the long run, a CII statement said. Green existing buildings have the potential to bring about operational savings in energy and water consumption to a tune of 15-30%, apart from enhanced air quality. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

BMC had rejected proposal to dereserve garden plot at Worli highrises

The BMC had in 2001 rejected a proposal by the Sukhada and Shubhada cooperative housing societies to de-reserve a garden plot and rezone it for residential purposes. This is the same area that was added to the plot thereby allowing the society to avail of extra FSI (floor space index) and raise the height of the twin towers. Sukhada, 14-storeyed and Shubadha, 32-storeyed, mostly house politicians and businessmen.

"The public purpose is not served (if the 'garden' plot is de-reserved/deleted) and the proposed modification (to rezone it as residential) will be beneficial only to developers of the adjoining residential plots and therefore garden may be developed on the plot," said the December 11, 2001, letter by the then BMC's chief engineer of development planning department to the Under Secretary of the Urban Development Department. Read more

Source : www.indianexpress.com

A count that just does not add up

Imprecise estimates of slums in the 2011 census could affect welfare programmes for least privileged groups

Mumbai’s Dharavi slum

The recently published census 2011 report on housing stock, amenities and assets in slums, the first of its kind in the country, reassuringly announced that the number of urban slums has declined and the percentage of households in slums has dropped from 23.5 (2001) to 17.4. On the face of it, this reduction appears to be a significant accomplishment and calls for praise. The government has concluded that cities are not as worse off as they were assumed to be since the new numbers reveal a lower percentage of slums. But the truth is far from it. Not only have the absolute numbers increased, but even the enumerated figures are inaccurate. It is a gross underestimate that can mislead and undermine social housing programmes. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Govt to seek clarity on ‘affluent’ colonies

NEW DELHI: Even as the union urban development ministry is preparing to take up the issue of regularizing illegal farmhouses and houses in three "affluent" unauthorized colonies—Sainik Farms, Mahendru Enclave and Anant Ram Dairy—with the union cabinet, the Delhi Government wants the Centre to define "affluent colonies". Chief minister Sheila Dikshit and her cabinet colleagues are expected to discuss the issue in a meeting later this week and seek clarity on the matter from the Centre.

The state government's concern stems from the fact that besides the three colonies covered by the regularization proposal of the ministry, there are at least 14 others categorized as "affluent" based on the recommendations of an expert committee (led by KK Mathur) that was formed by the ministry to lay down the parameters of affluence. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Garden illegally scrapped, its FSI given to VIP societies: Activists

MUMBAI: New violations have surfaced at two Worli housing societies that are home to top politicians, with activists saying a public garden was de-reserved to increase floors without requisite permissions from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) and the civic body.

The Sukhada and Shubhada societies are already in the spotlight for notices sent by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to some residents, from deputy CM Ajit Pawar to BJP leader Gopinath Munde, for illegal alterations and conversion of shops into offices and gyms. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

GHMC Mayor unhappy at slow pace of housing project

HYDERABAD : The GHMC has taken up construction of 51,340 houses in 114 colonies for the poor with funding from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Over the years it has managed to complete 27,370 houses and just 11,057 have been handed over to the beneficiaries. Read more

Source : www.thehindu.com

Faridabad homebuyer robbed of crores?

Faridabad : Are you a homebuyer who has paid more than R 1 lakh to your builder for ‘external development charge (EDC)?’ If yes, then you could be among thousands of homebuyers in the Greater Faridabad area, who have paid more than  what they were supposed to... And this ‘extraction’ could total a whopping R 1600 crore. 

A part of the audit report of the committee which states that there is no standard formula regarding charging of EDC

In what could turn out to be the biggest case of cheating of the vulnerable middle-class homebuyer, some alert consumers have discovered that they could have been forced to pay extra money to their builders – anything between R 1 lakh and a whopping R 5 lakh – for EDC, which is levied on the builders by the government for connecting their projects to sewage, water supply systems – anything which is considered to be ‘external development’. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

DUAC to consider redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar

NEW DELHI: The much hyped proposal to redevelop East Kidwai Nagar, adjacent to Dilli Haat, will be back on the table on Tuesday with Delhi Urban Arts Commission (DUAC) considering converting the low rise government colony to approximately 17-18 floor residential blocks. 

According to sources, the 86-acre project area will be redeveloped in a manner to double the housing supply for government employees. At present, the colony has 2,331 flats. After redevelopment, there would be approximately 4,800 flats. These will include Type VI and Type VII dwelling units, which are meant for secretary level officers at the Centre. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Evicted slum-dwellers camp outside LG office in New Delhi

NEW DELHI: Sixty-year-old Sakina was among those camping outside lieutenant governor Tejendra Khanna's office on Monday afternoon. They planned to make the place their home till the Delhi Development Authority made good the LG's directions for just allotment and relocation of those evicted from various slums and relegated to the peripheries of Bawana. Among the protesters were families who had lost their bare essentials and dwellings after a blaze engulfed their cluster in Bawana earlier this month. 

Men, women and children started gathering on the route to Raj Niwas in the morning. They peacefully camped on the road after the police set up barricades to keep the LG's house out of bounds. It was only around 3.30 pm that senior officials took note of their presence and acknowledged their memorandum of demands. The LG's office confirmed they had met the evictees, and Khanna had summoned DDA officers to learn about the cause for delay. The slum-dwellers have protested outside his house twice in the past two years. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

DDA to build five new sub-cities in Capital

New Delhi : In a few years, Delhi is expected to get five new sub-cities on the lines of Dwarka and Rohini, thanks to the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) new land-pooling policy. 

Since 1961, DDA’s policy has been to acquire large tracts of land to develop housing but that approach hasn’t been able to meet the city’s soaring demand for affordable housing. The land-pooling policy allows developers or large landholders to pool in land for development and get back a share in lieu of it. Read more

Source : www.hindustantimes.com

Madhya Pradesh police housing corporation to be felicitated

BHOPAL: During its 43rd annual day on April 25 in New Delhi-based India Habitat Centre, Union Government's undertaking Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) will felicitate Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation for outstanding contribution in basic infrastructure construction. The award to the corporation will be conferred by Union Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister.

In compliance with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's announcement to construct 10,000 houses for police personnel, 2,500 houses are being constructed in the first phase with loans from HUDCO. Monitoring of these houses is being undertaken by HUDCO, which found them of highest class on national level. Home Minister Umashankar Gupta has congratulated corporation's Chairman S S Lal, Managing Director and Additional DGP Sanjay Rana and other officers and employees for this. He hoped that the corporation will also construct 5000 houses through HUDCO loans in the second phase of the scheme. Read more

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Awaiting government nod to give housing loans to poor

KOCHI : With the state government failing to take up the request of the Kochi Corporation for an exemption to provide individual housing loans to BPL families under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) scheme, apprehensions have been raised about the successful implementation of the scheme.

As per Rajiv Awas Yojana  guidelines, the Central Government will provide funds for the development of slums by constructing housing units as clusters. Read more

Source : newindianexpress.com

Akhilesh Yadav Separates Poor In State | Free Housing Scheme Aasra 'Only For Urban Poor'

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav classifies the deprived population in the state as 'Urban Poor' & 'Rural Poor'. The state government has launched a new housing scheme for the urban poor called 'Aasra'. The scheme will only benefit the poor population living in the cities.

As per the scheme, the poor people will be provided with the houses free of cost. But despite being a good scheme, it turned to be a joke with the poor of the state as it will only benefit the poor who are currently living in cities not in villages or towns. Read more

Source : www.pardaphash.com