World Bank, Chennai Corporation discuss housing for poor
CHENNAI: A World Bank team is currently holding talks with officials from Chennai Corporation, Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Slum Clearance board and other departments, for implementing the $500 million Tamil Nadu Housing and Habitat Development for Urban Poor (TNHHUP) project in Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.
Official sources told Express that the World Bank team has been conducting a series of meetings since its arrival from May 13, in identifying areas such as private sector participation in affordable housing and formulating the design of Shelter fund under TNHHUP.
This is the Second World Bank Preparation Mission for the project with the earlier team having visited Chennai in December 2018 and interacting with Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Fund Management Corporation and Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority officials.
This time, the focus will be on re-densification, climate and disaster risk assessment for Chennai Metropolitan Area and scope of regional planning exercise for extended Chennai Metropolitan Area.
This comes in the wake of the State government planning to build around 6,877 tenements at Ernavur as an initial part of the project, for people living along the river margin, with World Bank funding assistance.
It is learnt that a total of 40,000 homes for the urban poor will be built under the project.
The value of the entire project is $715 million of which the World Bank will sanction USD 500 million. Thirty per cent of the World Bank funds will be used for building tenements at land belonging to Tamil Nadu Housing Board at Ernavur in Chennai district, Slum Clearance Board sources said. It is learnt that the designs of tenements is being worked out and the plinth area may vary from 360 square feet to 410 square feet. The focus will be on green concept that include natural lighting and green energy.
Sources at TNSCB, which is the nodal agency for implementing the project, said that the objective of the project is to strengthen the institutional performance of Tamil Nadu’s housing sector and improve housing conditions of eligible low-income households in Chennai.