BENGALURU: Here’s good news for those who lost their dream homes during the recent encroachment clearance drive in Bengaluru.
The Karnataka government proposes to build apartments for those who have been displaced and those who will have to relocate after the demolition drive ends on rajakaluves (storm water drain). Former Bengaluru district in-charge and transport minister Ramalinga Reddy said he and some MLAs from Bengaluru have submitted a proposal to build apartments for displaced families, and are awaiting chief minister Siddaramaiah’s approval.
“There is an earnest thinking in the government to provide homes to displaced people, especially the poor and middle class, as part of its rehabilitation effort, and it’s now just a matter of time,” Reddy said.
Sources in the CM’s secretariat said city Congress MLAs have been pressuring Siddaramaiah to announce a rehabilitation package for displaced people as damage control exercise, as they are apprehensive about the Congress vote bank in Bengaluru. A senior official at the state finance department, however, said they are working out the modalities of whether the government should take up the project through the BDA, National Slum Development Programme or National Mission for Urban Housing. The CM is expected to convene a meeting to decide, he added.
He, however, admitted that building apartments is the best bet because it is hard to provide monetary relief or alternative sites for displaced people in Bengaluru. In their proposal, Reddy said they have suggested building one- and two-bedroom flats ranging from 250-500 sqft with minimum amenities, and give one-bedroom flats free of cost to the poor, and two-bedroom flats at subsidized rates for the middle class.
A BDA official said the government can offer ready-to-occupy BDA flats that are lying vacant, instead of building new apartments to accommodate the displaced. “There are no takers for one BHK flats which could be allotted to poor displaced families at a subsidized price, and for higher income groups, BDA could offer flats, including luxury apartments at Valegarahalli and Malagalla, at concessional rates,” he added.
Courtsey: TNN | 27-Aug-16